198 BOARD OF AGRICULTTJRE. 



small Capsidae, may be stuck upon cards as in the coleoptera. 

 When on a collecting tour they can all be thrown into alcohol, 

 and taken out afterwards and pinned and set, 



Thripadae. This family has by some authors been consid- 

 to form a distinct order called Thysanopiera. They are minute, 

 narrow and flattened insects, very active in their habits, are 

 found in flowers, especially composite plants, such as the White- 

 weed, and when running over the hand cause a severe itching. 

 There are two pairs of long narrow wings without any nerv- 

 ures, which are delicately fringed on the margin, and are laid 

 one above the other over the body. The mouth parts are free, 

 but the mandibles are like two bristles, the maxillae are flat tri- 

 angular, bearing a pair of palpi. These parts are partially united 

 into a conicle sucker which is folded upon the breast. The pro- 

 thorax is largely developed ; the legs are short, and the elongated 

 abdomen terminates in several long bristles which are closely 

 united together. 



Some species are wingless, being found under the bark of ^'^- ^^ 

 trees. They closely resemble their larvae (Fig. 25), which 

 are found in the same situations as the perfect insects, and 

 are distingushed from them by the uniformity of the three 

 thoracic rings, and their similarity to those of the abdomen ; 

 by their softer body, and shorter antennae and legs, and the 

 want of simple eyes. They are often pale yellow, blood red and 

 flesh color. The pupae have " the limbs obscured by a film, and 

 the wings enclosed in a short fixed sheath. The antennae are 

 turned back on the head, and the insect, though it moves about, 

 is much more sluggish than in the other states." 



The species are very injurious to flowers, eating holes in the co- 

 rollas, and sucking the sap from the flowers of wheat, in the bot- 

 tom of which they hide. 



Cicadidae, commonly called " locusts," are large wedge-shaped 

 insects, with a large broad head, prominent eyes, their ocelli on 

 top ; wings transparent with thick veins. The males have a mu- 

 sical apparatus beneath the wings on the hinder ring of the thorax, 

 which acts like a kettle drum, producing the loud, penetrating, 

 shrill sound issuing apparently from trees. Cicada rimosa, our 

 smallest species in Maine, begins to be heard a little before the 

 middle of June. The C. canicularis is larger and comes later, being 

 an autumnal species. Mr. Verrill has observed this species in 



