86 



THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



into the forest, grove or woodland, if either 

 happens to be near at hand. I have found 

 also that the line of bushes along any 

 stream traversing the field is a favorite 

 resort. Sheds, barns, rail fences, and 

 stacks often furnish them with winter 

 quarters. 



During the winter they remain in a 

 torpid or semi-torpid state, but are easily 

 warmed into life and activity. As the cold 

 weather becomes more and more severe 

 they press deeper and deeper, if possible, 

 into the inner recesses of their hiding 

 places. They prefer dry quarters if readily 

 obtained. 



Whether the males survive in equal 

 numbers with the females is a point not 

 ascertained so far as I am aware, but I am 

 of the opinion that the females are the 

 more numerous. 



Their time of coming forth in the spring 

 depends upon the latitude and season. In 

 a few instances in unusually early springs 

 they have been seen as early as the middle 

 or latter part of March in the southern 

 part of the State ; while on the other hand, 

 in the northern part of the State in a late 

 spring they have delayed their appearance 

 until late in May, and probably even until 

 the first of June. Usually they come out 

 during the month of April in the southern 

 and central part of the State. But it must 

 be admitted that there is but little testi- 

 mony on this point, as but very few of our 

 farmers pay attention to insects except 

 when they become injurious or appear in 

 immense masses. The Chinch-bug, when 

 flying, would scarcely be distinguished 

 by the unpracticed eye from a gnat. On 

 this account our correspondence, and the 

 printed and manuscript notes we have ex- 

 amined, make far more frequent mention 

 of the first appearance of the young than 

 they do of the spring appearance of the 

 hibernating brood. 



In order to show the various hiding 

 places they select in which to hibernate, I 

 quote the following notes from corres- 

 pondents as found in my second report : 



" When winter set in they went into winter 

 quarters under corn shocks, clods, rails, etc." 



" I have never known them to winter in 

 timothy or any tame hay, but if you want 

 to raise an extra crop of bugs, leave a few 

 bottoms of prairie haystacks, and piles of 

 corn fodder and straw until June, and my 

 word for it you will have them." 



" Their winter quarters are old rail 

 fences, corn stalks, house-roofs, logs, 

 leaves, etc." 



In addition to these places we may add 

 that in timbered sections they frequently 

 go to the woods and seek shelter under the 

 leaves and in the^ crevices of the bark of 

 trees, under loose bark, and even under 

 stones. I have found them quite abund- 

 ant in old stumps and old logs and around 

 corn fields which had been in corn during 

 the summer previous. When no other 

 hiding place can be found they will seek 

 shelter from the cold under clods of earth. 



As the cold increases they will penetrate 

 farther and farther into their recesses. 

 They prefer comparatively dry situations, 

 as moisture appears to be inimical to 

 them, though in this stage of their existence 

 it does not appear to be necessarily de- 

 structive of life, as the following state- 

 ment in my second report, given by a cor- 

 respondent on whose veracity and intelli- 

 gence I can rely, will show : 



" They have been taken from ice, by 

 thawing it, and when slightly warmed 

 would manifest signs of life, crawling about 

 as in spring. They thus appear to be able 

 to endure cold or heat." 



I have often taken them in winter in- 

 closed in a covering of frost and to all 

 appearance frozen stiff ; yet when placed 

 in a warm atmosphere for a time, they 

 would survive. The following statement 

 by Dr. Henry Shinier of Mt. Carroll, 111., 

 in reference to their winter life, will be 

 interesting in this connection : 



" After the early autumn frosts, they 

 left their feeding grounds, on foot, in 

 search of winter quarters ; none could be 

 seen on the wing, at harvest time. For a 

 winter retreat, they resorted to any con- 

 venient shelter they might chance to find, 

 as long grass, weeds, boards, pieces of 

 wood rails, fallen tree leaves, etc., etc. 



"In January, 1865, I next examined 

 their condition ; those that I found in the 

 sheathes of the corn leaves above the snow. 



