153 



The young molt several times before gaining wings, and in the speci- 

 mens m the collection about seven stages, without counting egg and adult, 

 are found. The characteristic elevation of the abdomen persists in the 

 pupa state, becoming, however, less marked as the insect grows older. 

 It persists, however, to a slight extent in the adult, which thrusts its 

 abdomen out from beneath its wings and turns the tip slightly ujiwards 

 in discharging the drops of saccharine liquid common to many of the 

 members of this group of insects. With each successive molt the in- 

 sect becomes darker, and the pupa is bluish or lead-colored and runs 

 about the plants with much more freedom than when younger. The 

 full-grown insects are found most frequently upon the central stem of 

 the plant. As noted by all of the observers who sent in specimens, 

 they are very active and shy, running up and down the stalk and dodg- 

 ing from side to side. 



The adult insect is brownish, sometimes tinged with bluish. The 

 wing-covers are glassy and shiny, being nearly transparent near base, 

 and becoming smoky for the outward three-fifths. There is a large 

 reddish blotch just beyond the middle and near the anterior border. 

 Fresh females often have a white powdery spot sui)erimposed upon this 

 reddish spot. This white spot is easily rubbed off, and is not apparent 

 after the insect is a few days old. It is probably waxy in its nature. 

 The head and thorax are mottled with dark brown and honey-yellow, 

 and the abdomen, as seen from the side, is marked with large yellow 

 bands, the spiracles remaining brown. The under part of the body is 

 in general honey- yellow, somewhat mottled with brown. In flying 

 from plant to plant the insects make a slight but distinct buzzing 

 sound. When feeding they rest head downwards upon the central stem 

 and incline the tip of the abdomen outwards, ejecting when in this po- 

 sition several drops of liquid in quick succession. In spite of the shy- 

 ness of the insect, the female is not readily disturbed when ovipositing. • 

 A specimen dissected by Mr. Banks on July 15 was found to contain 



19 eggs. The observations of Messrs. MaUy and Banks indicate that 

 there are certainly two, and possibly three, broods during the season. 

 The adults make their appearance in numbers about June 1, and by the 

 middle or latter part of June many young are found. The second brood 

 begins ovipositing about the latter i)art of July, and after the first days 

 in August the adults become less abundant. Experiments made indi- 

 cate that while the males are readily attracted to light, the female is 

 very rarely caught in this way. For instance, of 22 specimens trapped, 



20 were males and 2 females, and on July 19, of 9 specimens caught at 

 light all were males. Upon the cotton plants, however, there were usu- 

 ally more females than males, and this was the case at the very times 

 when the lamp exi:>eriments were being made. 



We are, unfortunately, not familiar with the method of hibernation, 

 and unless this, when ascertained, should afford some ready means of 

 destroying the insect, the best remedy will consist in the application of 



