236 



the negative ones of Schwarz. The eggs described by Comstock are 

 still in the collection of the Department of Agricultnre, and a careful 

 examination of the young larvae which hatched from tliem at once 

 shows that they belong to a different species (cf. Figs. 50, e and 51, a). 

 AYe have attempted to learn to what species they really belong, but 

 have been unable to do so on account of the immaturity of the larvae. 

 The eggs resemble in shape and sculpture those of Metapodius femoratiis 

 and Euthoctha galeator, two predaceous bugs found u^^on orange, and 

 are intermediate between them in size, but the young bugs differ from 

 either of these species. We have shown these eggs and the young 

 larvae which hatched from them at Fig. 50. One of the egg-shells 



contained within it an interestiug egg- 

 parasite which will be described by 

 Mr. Howard in another part of this 

 number. 



Oomstock's statement having thus 

 been disproved, Glover's becomes all 

 the more doubtful, and Hubbard's ac- 

 count is the only one upon which we 

 can confidently rely. His few words 

 ofdescriptionof the egg are as follows: 



The eggs are oval in shape, amber-colored, 

 with a pearly luster, and present, under the 

 lens, a pattern of closely reticulated lines. 



The other preparatory Stages. — 

 Among the alcoholic and other mate- 

 rial of the Eed Bug sent to the De- 

 partment at different times, we have 

 been able to distinguish four prepara- 

 tory stages which undoubtedly repre- 

 sent separate molts, and, from the 

 gradation in size, probably represent 

 the complete life of the insect. They 

 are shown at Fig. 51, a, h, and e, and 

 Fig. 52, a. All were drawn from alco- 

 holic specimens except b, which was a 

 dry and somewhat shriveled pinned 

 specimen. This probably accounts for the laterally contracted abdomen 

 of this drawing as compared with c. The color in all is bright red, the 

 wing pads in c and Fig. 52, o, being black, and the lines separating the 

 segments ver3' light yellow. These yellow bands are even more marked 

 on the under side of the abdomen, while the most conspicuous marking, 

 and one which i)ersists through all stages, is the narrow yellow band 

 around the front border of the prothorax just behind the head. All of 

 the legs and the antennae are reddish-yellow in the first stage, becom- 

 ing vellowish-brown in the second stage, the tibiae and tarsi darker than 



Fig. 50. — a, egg taken for that of Dysdercv.s 

 suturellus by Comstock, side view— eulaiged ; 

 b, portion of surface — still more enlarged ; c, 

 dorsal view of same egg; d, same with con- 

 tained parasite ; e, larva from same — all en- 

 larged (original). 



