BUGS. 117 



thorax or chest; they possess the power of leaping 

 a distance of five or six feet, which is about two 

 hundred and fifty times their length. They generally 

 remain motionless for hours upon the leaf of a bush 

 or tree, imbibing the sap of the plant, but at the 

 approach of any one they suddenly leap with great 

 ease into the air, at the same time spreading out 

 their wings, and fly to some other abode. 



They feed mostly on the leaves of the oak, the 

 locust, and several other trees. But their injury is 

 of no great importance. The principal species of Tree- 

 hoppers, are the 



Menibracis Ampelopsidis, on the Ampelopsis vine ; • 



" bimaculata, " locust-tree, 



" univittata, " oak-tree, &c. 



Plant-Lice. (Aphis.) 



Like the preceding Insects, the Plant-lice belong to 

 the order of Bugs which constitute the Hemipterous 

 Insects. They have small round bodies, of a brown 

 black, yellow, or blue colour. Some species are pro- 

 vided with wings, some others have none, but on 

 the back of all of them may be seen two honey- 

 tubes, or honey-warts, from which issues a sweet sub- 

 stance very much liked by the Ants. For this reason 

 we find even such carnivorous Insects as the Ants, on 

 friendly and intimate terms with the Plant-lice. In 



