Notes on the Commoner Species 183 



isolated tree a few yards from the edge of the wood. 

 They did not like to come out into the hot sunshine, 

 but would follow into the open for some distance, as 

 the shadows began to lengthen, seldom, however, go- 

 ing beyond them. Farther north they do not seem to 

 mind the sun. Sometimes we met them, about sun- 

 down, in the middle of an open swamp surrounded by 

 woods, but we never discovered them in houses, and 

 there seem to be no records of any one else finding 

 them indoors. They are remarkably persistent, re- 

 turning with indefatigable obstinacy to the attack, 

 and are very easy to catch. The bites hurt at the 

 time, and swell afterward, though after feeding a 

 number this effect disappeared — in fact we became 

 almost perfectly immune to the punctures of any spe- 

 cies. The adults oiposticata were first found out-of- 

 doors March 14, the latest October 18. June 30 to 

 September 9 appears to be the New Jersey period. 

 They seldom bite more than once before laying, and 

 very few laid two batches. The interval between 

 their first meal and oviposition is generally five days, 

 it may be two. There are usually about 139 eggs in a 

 batch, but when there are two sets there may be as few 

 as forty in one. The female sits on the water, with 

 legs wide spread, lays a few eggs, flies off, then lights 

 and lays some more. The one described was ob- 

 served by Dr. Dupree to be ovipositing at 10 A.M , 

 and was still thus engaged at I P.M., the first eggs 

 blackening within an hour. The life of the adult 

 raised in captivity has been fifteen days. The larval 

 life is about seven days, the pupal two. The 

 hatching occurs with or without agitation in from 



