1930 ] The Walking-stick Monomera Blatchleyi 
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THE WALKING-STICK, MONOMERA BLATCHLEYI 
RACE ATLANTICA DAVIS IN EASTERN 
MASSACHUSETTS 
By Charles W. Johnson 
Boston Society of Natural History 
In 1926 I received from Mr. A. W. Higgins a female 
walking-stick, taken at Rock, Mass., August 10. It was 
referred to Monomera blatchleyi Caudell in the Bulletin 
of the Boston Society of Natural History for January, 1930, 
but should have been referred to the race atlantica Davis. 
As this was the most northeastern record for this inter- 
esting form, I was desirous of obtaining additional material 
and if possible securing a male. I therefore asked Mr. 
Higgins to be on the lookout for it this year. 
The results of his work were a surprise. On August 
10-15 he collected 19 specimens, on the 21st 40, and on 
the 27th 17, a total of 76 specimens, all females. I kept 
the 40 specimens alive for several days. On the 23rd there 
were 55 eggs in the glass jar, and on the 25th 57. The 
eggs, which look like little seeds, are 2.5 mm. long. Mr. 
Higgins found about 60 per cent of the specimens on 
goldenrod. Most of the specimens were a bright green, 
some having a more or less prominent yellow or reddish 
lateral stripe, two were of a dark grayish color, three were 
reddish brown, and two were laterally reddish, this color 
extending over the ventral surface except for a narrow 
median stripe of green. They vary in length from 65 to 
80 mm. 
The most interesting feature connected with this insect 
is the apparent absence of males. Mr. William T. Davis 
had some forty-six females when comparing this form with 
the typical blatchleyi , and many more have come under 
his observation. Are we dealing with a parthenogenetic 
species, the males appearing only at intervals? 
