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V. The Egg and Early Larval Stages of a Coreid Bug, 

 probably Dalader acuticosta, Amyot et Serv. ; with a 

 note on its Hymenoptcrous Parasite. By Nelson 

 Annandale, B.A., Deputy Superintendent of the 

 Indian Museum, Calcutta. 



[Read November 16th, 1904.] 



Plate VIII. 



So little is known regarding the life history of the 

 Heteroptera that I have ventured to bring forward certain 

 observations on this subject which are confessedly most 

 incomplete. Possibly my figures and descriptions may be 

 of value to some naturalist more fortunate in rearing the 

 insect to be considered than I have been. 



On August 14th last, at Alipur in the suburbs of 

 Calcutta, I found, attached by a spider's web to a tree-trunk, 

 a dead leaf on which were 14 eggs. They were arranged 

 separately, roughly in parallel rows but in no very definite 

 manner. Their length was about 2 - 75 mm. ; their height 

 19 mm. ; their colour a rich golden-brown, shining and 

 lustrous. As the embryo developed they became darker. 

 Examination with a lens showed that the surface was 

 patterned with a minute reticulation, and that a cordiform 

 or sub-oval area was marked off at the broader end. This 

 proved to be an operculum. Another area, of greater 

 extent than the last, but having identical limits above was 

 indicated. It was evidently due to internal structures 

 partially revealed by the translucency of the egg-shell. 

 In this region there were several extremely minute punc- 

 tures, which were only seen under a fairly high power of 

 the microscope. They were arranged in an arc round the 

 upper limits of the operculum and were undoubtedly 

 micropyles : they are too small to appear in the figure. 

 The eggs were fastened to the leaf by a drop of a gummy 

 substance less brittle and more elastic than that of the 

 egg-shell. It was situated near the centre of the llattened 

 base. 



TRANS. ENT, SOC, LONP, 1005. — PART I. (MAY) 



