104 Mr. W. Sells on Egg-cases of Blatta. 



the results are somewhat interesting to the entomologist, they 

 appeared to me to be not unworthy of being submitted to the 

 notice of the Society. 



The egg-cases of Kakerlac orientalis, or common house cock- 

 roach of Jamaica, is longer and flatter than those of the other 

 species, having twenty- two to twenty-four teeth along the thin 

 serrated edge, which corresponds with the number of eggs con- 

 tained within. The latter are lodged in two layers placed trans- 

 versely, twelve in a row ; there is a septum, or partition, running 

 the whole length of the case, and separating the rows of eggs ; 

 each egg has its own distinct recess. 



The cases of Blaberus Maderce, commonly called knocker in 

 Jamaica, are shorter than the former, but much wider, and have 

 sixteen dentations at the edge ; one of these contained ninety-six 

 specimens of a small species of Chalcididce, and another is filled 

 with the pupae (I apprehend) of a similar insect. 



Those of another species, which I cannot designate, have a 

 curved reniform figure, with very minute dentations. 



Most of the cases were found empty, and the fissure where the 

 young Blattce had come forth was slightly open ; others had a 

 round perforation through the side of the capsule, at which the 

 parasitic Chalcididce had made their exits. 



