404 [September, 



Remarks on two Species of American Cimex. 

 By John Le Conte. 



Reddvius pungens. Black, shining, wings opaque. Head a little hairy, antennae 

 yellowish brown, slightly hairy, first joint shorter than the head, second, fourth 

 and fifth much longer, subequal, third very small. Thorax slightly margined, 

 strongly constricted in the middle, the anterior portion rounded and longitudi- 

 nally sulcate, the posterior portion transverse. First pair of legs hairy on the 

 under side, as are the thighs also of the second pair, but the tibiae and tarsi of 

 the hinder legs all over. 



Length .8 of an inch. Inhabits Georgia. 



This species is remarkable for the intense pain caused by its bite. I do not 

 know whether it ever willingly plunges its rostrum into any person ; but when, 

 caught or unskilfully handled, it always stings. In this case the pain is almost 

 equal to that of the bite of a snake, and the swelling and irritation which result 

 from it will sometimes last for a week. In very weak and irritable constitutions 

 it may even prove fatal. 



This R pungens too nearly resembles the R. personatus of Europe to be 

 authoritatively pronounced different. As however I can find no very detailed 

 description of the European animal, and as it is difficult to suppose that it 

 would be imported from its native country, and yet be found in the Southern 

 States, I have concluded to give it provisionally the name v< hich it bears at 

 the head of this article. Its food consists of flies and other soft insects, which 

 it catches very adroitly and soon deprives of all their juices. 



Conorhinus sanguisuga. Black, head and thorax granulate, neck rather long 

 projecting. Antennae slender, first joint much shorter than the head, second, 

 fourth and fifth subequal about the length of the head, tip of the rostrum 

 brown. Thorax triangular, with a tubercle in front on each side, slightly con- 

 stricted before the middle, in front with two raised lines diverging backwards, 

 and most raised in front, margined with red ; scutellura with two raised diverging 

 lines directed forwards and joined at the base. Wings granulate at the base, 

 with two triangular red spots on each, one at the base, the other near the middle 

 on the outside. Abdomen with six red spots on each side, both above and be- 

 neath. 



Length 1 inch. Inhabits Georgia. 



This insect, equally with the former, inflicts a most painful wound. It is re- 

 markable also for sucking the blood of mammals, particularly of children. I 

 have known its bite followed by very serious consequences, the patient not re- 

 covering from its effects for nearly a year. 



The many relations which we have of spider bites frequently proving fatal, 

 have no doubt arisen from the stings of these insects or others of the same genera. 

 When the disease called spider bite is not an anthrax or carbuncle, iUis un- 

 doubtedly occasioned by the bite of an insect, by no means however of a spider. 

 Among the many species of Araneidaa which we have in the United States, I 

 have never seen one capable of inflicting the slightest wound. Ignorant persons 

 may easily mistake a Cimex for a spider. I have known a physician who sent 

 to me the fragments of a large ant, which he supposed was a spider, that came 

 out of his grandchild's head. 



