HUNGERFORD: AQUATIC HEMIPTERA. 143 
dozens of tadpoles in 24 hours. The prey was caught as it swam near. 
This bug in his aquarium lurked submerged, coming to the surface for 
air. He noted it chirping by means of its rectal spiracles. Mr. Harvey 
also studied the life history which is not indicated by the title to his 
paper. 
Oviposition. “In California (Watsonville) the breeding season is 
from April to June and during this time from 2 to 4 sets of eggs are 
hatched. The eggs are glued tight and fast to the back of the male, and 
there they stay through the whole incubation period. Upon the wing 
sheath of the male is first spread a drop of mucilaginous adhesive. Into 
this drop of adhesive are fastened the eggs, one at a time, closely to- 
gether, at all angles from perpendicular in the center of the clutch to a 
cant of 45 degrees at the edges of the wing sheaths. From 70 to 175 
eggs are deposited upon the back of the male, but not all at one time. 
Part of them will be deposited one night, and the rest the next or suc- 
ceeding nights. This work is all done in the dark, and I was never 
fortunate enough to observe it. If a spot of 2, 3 or more eggs is missed, 
it is filled in afterwards, and should some of the eggs prove to be in- 
fertile, these drop off and are replaced by others as late as the sixth or 
eighth day of incubation.” 
Incubation. “Incubation lasts from 10 to 12 days, at the end of which 
time the egg cases and adhesive nidus that holds them are cast off entire, 
providing there be no late laid eggs, in which instance, the empty egg 
cases and nidus remain attached until all are hatched. The cast-off 
mass of egg cases and nidus resembles a knobbed shield, being oblong- 
oval, with the concave side toward the male’s back. The eggs are 5 mm. 
long by 1 mm. thick, and are of same color as the parent. During the 
period of incubation the male spends much of his time aérating the eggs. 
This is accomplished by gently raising and lowering the wings so that 
the air taken in at the surface and held under the wing cases is moved 
back and forth beneath the mass of eggs, and taken up a little at a time. 
If by any chance the male should be removed from the water for a few 
hours during incubation, the whole mass of eggs, nidus and all, loosens 
and comes off.” 
Hatching. “At the end of incubation, the male comes to the surface 
and, with his back partly out of the water, the young begin to appear. 
The first thing seen after the rupture of the egg cases is a pair of beady, 
black eyes. At the first appearance of the young, the male begins rais- 
ing and lowering the wings, at the same time going through a jerking 
maneuver at regular intervals. The young insect is extruded from the 
egg by easy stages, the hatching being accomplished in from 7 to 25 
minutes. At birth the young bug is about 5 mm. long by 2 mm. broad, 
of the purest white, rapidly changing to a light straw yellow and brown. 
In two or three hours at most it is of same color as the parent, and if 
prey be not abundant, very likely feasting on its fellows.” 
