PREDACEOUS BUGS. 115 



1856, pp. 335, 336) includes P. cynicus and P. spmosus 

 among the insects that attack the limbs of the apple, a 

 statement that Dr. Lintner (First Report Insects of New 

 York, 1882, p. 331) very properly questions. It is equally 

 doubtful if P. modestus attacks the grape vine, as stated by 

 Fitch (op. cit., p. 390) ; and it would seem possible that the 

 statements of Glover and Sauuders in regard to the attacks 



cr 



on plants by some of the above-mentioned species rest on 

 Dr. Fitch's authority, and not on personal observation-;. 

 Nearly two hundred specimens of our common species of 

 Podisus have been collected by the writer and his assistants 

 during the past four years, and in no case have any of these 

 insects been found feeding on plants. When confined P. 

 serieventris has been known to puncture the leaves of oak 

 ("The Gypsy Moth," Forbush-Fernald, 1896, p. 402), a 

 performance that has been observed but once. It should, 

 however, be stated that a large part of the normal food of 

 the newly hatched bugs seems to be the sap contained in 

 leaves. So far as our observations extend, the nymphs after 

 molting once are entirely predaceous. 



Beneficial insects are so worthy of attention and praise 

 that one may easily dilate upon their good qualities and 

 overlook the harm they do. To state the case fairly with 

 the genus Podisus, it will be proper to say that some of the 

 species may occasionally devour a coccinellid beetle or other 

 beneficial insect. Walsh has recorded a single case of the 

 kind ("American Entomologist," 1868, p. 13). If this habit 

 is a common one, we should probably have more records of 

 it. The worst point that the writer has observed in the 

 habits of the species is that when the food supply runs short 

 they will devour each other ("The Gypsy Moth," p. 402). 

 A glance over the list of insects each species is known to 

 destroy will show which way the balance swings. The fol- 

 lowing table will aid in the separation of the species occur- 

 ring in the United Statei : 



