PKEDACEOUS HE^IIPTERA. 399 



the fourth stage show great rapacity, and a corresponding 

 growth is made. 



The fourth and last molt takes place in from twelve to 

 seventeen days from the third molt, and the insect attains 

 the imago form. 



Fifth Stage, or Imago. — The following is Professor 

 Uhler's original description of this species, taken from 

 <' Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History," 

 page 94, Vol XIV., 1870: — 



"P. serieventris, n. sj). Similiar to P. modestus Dallas, 

 but of a more blackish-gray color. Pronotum, sides less 

 deeply sinuated, the humeral angles not so prominent, ob- 

 tusely triangular, blackish ; the surface less regularly punct- 

 ured, those each side anteriorl}^ and in the corners finer, 

 confluent, presenting the appearance of four blackish spots, 

 the middle surface somewhat bald, yellow. Scapus and basal 

 joint of the antennae blackish outwardly. Scutellum punct- 

 ured with black, the punctures at the base aggregated in a 

 large patch, the basal angles with a large, smooth, whitish 

 spot, the tip smooth, white. Pectus remotely punctured 

 with fuscous, the impressed portion of the propleura, the 

 middle of the mesopleura and exterior part of the metapleura 

 with a large patch of black, confluent punctures, the exterior 

 margin smooth ; exterior end of the osteolar duct black, the 

 sulcus broad, not reaching to the tip. Legs pale orange 

 yellow, the femora pointed with black, the dots more or less 

 aggregated beyond the niiddle. Corium less coarsely punct- 

 ured, the punctures fuscous or rufous ; those of the costal 

 area coarser, the finer ones aggregated in small patches ; 

 the surface adjoining the inner surface and tip of the medium 

 suture smooth, with a more or less embrowned spot before 

 the tip ; eml)olium yellow, with a fuscous spot at base ; the 

 mem])rane tinged with brown ; the basal margin, nervures 

 basally, and a broad, longitudinal streak running to the tip, 

 blackish. Tergum with large clouded spots each side and 

 l)ehind ; connexivum bright yellow above, with a quadran- 

 gular black spot at the base and apex of each segment, on 

 the under side having a corresponding series of spots which 

 are sometimes reduced to mere dots. Venter jninctured 



