The CHINCH BUG was not heard of from farmers anywhere in the 

 State, nor found unusually abundant by us in our field observations. 

 As a contribution to the life history of the species in "off years," 

 the following memoranda for 1833 and 1884, are worthy of record. 

 During the former year we first noted the chinch bug on the 14th 

 of March, in Central Illinois. The adults were still in their winter 

 quarters, occurring about roots in matted grass under old boards 

 and rubbish. April 10, in Southern Illinois, they were still found 

 in the rubbish of strawberry fields, and occasionally among dead 

 leaves in the woods. On the '20th of that month, a very few were 

 encountered in wheat fields near Carbondale. On the 26th, at 

 Normal, they were still collected by the hundred, under boards, not 

 having yet emerged from their winter quarters in Central Illinois. 

 Indeed, on the 7th of the following month, we found them there in 

 the same situation, and in rubbish about wild strawberry plants. 

 On the 20fch May, at Centralia, I saw a few adults in wheat 

 fields, and on the 24th, at Decatur, they were relatively abundant 

 in wheat at the bases of the plants, many of them coupled. 



Specimens placed alive in an empty vial soon deposited their eggs, 

 but careful search about the roots of the plants failed to discover 

 any, and it is probable that oviposition was but just beginning. On 

 the 6fch June, adults were found quite numerous just beneath the 

 surface of the ground, about young corn in the field. Many of 

 these were pairing and laying their eggs about the roots. On the 

 19th June, young chinch bugs emerged from eggs deposited the 

 23d of the preceding month. On the 23d June, we found the adults, 

 still pairing, in corn fields, and young individuals very numerous 

 between the sheath of the lower leaf and the stalk. On the 26th, 

 at Warsaw, the adults were still to be seen among the roots of 

 wheat, together with many young in the first stage. A few chinch 

 bug eggs were also found in the same situation ; and adults still 

 occurred at this season among the roots of corn. On the 29th, at 

 Godfrey, Illinois, a few miles above St. Louis, young chinch bugs 

 were noted frequently in wheat fields, mostly in the first stage, (that 

 immediately following the egg), but a few in the second. Adults 

 were also still occasionally to be found. On the 2d July, the young 

 were noted as still occurring beneath the sheaths of corn, none 

 having yet emerged to the outer surface. All the stages were now 

 found in wheat fields, although pupae were relatively rare. On the 

 25th July, in Northern Illinois, young were found beneath the 

 sheaths of the leaves of corn, mostly in the second stage. From 

 this time to October 1, a hiatus occurs in our observations for 1883, 

 but at the latter date all sizes still occurred upon the corn, con- 

 cealed beneath the bases of the leaves, ranging in age from adults 

 to those newly hatched. On the 11th November, both imagos and 

 pupae were found hibernating under the bark of an old log at Nor- 

 mal. 



In 1884, considerable numbers were found March 24, under boards 

 at Normal, scattered under leaves and rubbish in woods, and in 

 similar situations. They were apparently less numerous than even 

 the year before. April 14, adults were seen under boards and rub- 

 bish in Southern Illinois. May 9 and 10, they were occasionally 

 obtained by sweeping grass, having evidently now emerged from 



