204 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



transparent hemipters. The hyalina is very abuncJiant on the wil- 

 low early in summer. 



Capsui^ is the type of another family, which consist of small 

 species, with soft, rather narrow bodies, and long beaks and legs. 

 They arc very active, flying readily. They are found in flowers, 

 and on fruit, such as raspberries. 



Cimicidae. The bed-bug, {Cimex lectularius,) has a small, some- 

 what triangular head, orbicular thorax, and large, round flattened 

 abdomen. It is generally wingless, having only two small wing- 

 pads instead. The eggs are oval, white ; the young escape by 

 pushing ofi'a lid at one end of the shell. They are white, transpa- 

 rent, differing from the perfect insect, in having a broad, triangular 

 head, and short and thick antennae. Indeed, this is the general form 

 of lice, to which the larva of Cimex has the closest affinity. Some 

 Cimices are parasites, infesting pigeons, swallows, &c., in this way 

 also showing their near location to lice. The cockroach is the 

 natural enemy of the bed-bug, and destroys large numbers. Houses 

 have been cleared of them after being thoroughly fumigated with 

 brimstone. 



PedicuK, Lice. These degraded, wingless forms of Hemiptera, 

 still preserve the mouth parts in the form of a sucker, but it is 

 fleshy and retractile. The triangular head has two simple eyes. 

 The body is rather long, the abdomen oval. They are generally 

 white, and of minute size. The metamorphosis is very incomplete 

 — that is, there are but slight differences between the larva and 

 the imago. The species of Pediculus are blood-suckers, and para- 

 sitic upon Man and some of the Mammalia ; diff'ereut species being 

 found upon diff'erent regions of the body. Diff'erent varieties are 

 found living upon the bodies of different races of men. 



Mallophaga, bird-lice, live on hair of mammalia and feathers of 

 birds. In this group there are distinct jaws. Nearly every bird 

 and mammal has its parasite, so that the number of species is 

 actually very large. 



Neuroptera. • 



As a suborder these insects are the most aquatic of any other 

 similar group, and it is swampy low grounds, the banks of pools 

 and rivers, the thick dense damp forests, that the collector must 

 frequent to find them. The large Dragon-flies when taken by the 

 net must be killed by brushing with alcohol or benzine carried in a 



