PARENTAL CARE OF THE CIMICID^. 319 



This unfortunately leaves several species, known only in the 

 female, unclassified. So far as known, the female of Monophle- 

 bulus has 7-jointed antennae, of Drosicha 9 -jointed, of Tessarobelns 

 10-jointed, of Llaveia 11-jointed ; but it is by no means certain 

 that these characters are severally always associated with par- 

 ticular forms of male. Mr. E. E. Green {in litt.) tells me that 

 his Monophlehus zeylanicus belongs to Sasakic. Several American 

 species must for the present be treated as Llaveia ,- viz. L. cacti 

 (L.), L. bouvari (Sign.), L. uhleri (Sign.), L. primitiva (Towns.), 

 L. mexicanorum (Ckll.). Monophlebus fortis and M. fulleri, from 

 Natal, may possibly go in Llaveia, but their males are much to 

 be desired. 



Monop)hlebus illigeri, Westw., and M. raddoni, Westw., are 

 known only in the male ; they have numerous short lateral abdo- 

 minal processes. They come nearest to Drosicha, but their 

 position is doubtful. 



I am very greatly indebted to Professor Fernald for kindly 

 communicating the results of his bibliographical researches. 



East Las Vegas, New Mexico, U.S.A.: Sept. 30tb, 1902. 



P.S. — I have been trying to see whether any generic charac- 

 ters could be found in the larvae of what has been called Mono- 

 phlebus. Unfortunately very few larvae are known, and, so far as 

 I can see, these do not afford any good generic characters. They 

 may be separated as follows : — 



Long hairs all round the body; antennae 6-jointed, but the 



suture between 3 and 4 indistinct, 4 much longer than 3 crawfordi. 



Long hairs on the last seven segments ; antennae G-joiuted, 



3 and 4 equal ........ axin. 



Long caudal hairs, but relatively short hairs round the body 1. 



1. Long caudal hairs four; antennae 6-joinled, 4 shorter 



than 3 ........ . serratulcE. 



Long caudal hairs two ; antennae 5-jointed (Jide Maskell) 2. 



2. With very long brittle glassy threads ; legs relatively 



longer ......... riiscus. 



Without such threads ; legs relatively shorter . . maskelH. 



ON THE PARENTAL CARE , OF THE CIMICID.E 

 (RHYNCHOTA). 



By G. W. Kirkaldy, F.E.S. 



Writers have often cited a species of Acanthosomatinae as one 

 of the few known instances where insects display parental care 

 for their young. The original observations of DeGeer were con- 

 firmed by Hellius, and have been reproduced or quoted in most 

 entomological text-books. This habit is, however, probably not 



