HEMIPTERA. 161 



the same time, that these insects were committing sad havoc, and 

 was informed that various means had been tried to destroy or ex- 

 pel them without effect. On visiting my potato-patch shortly 

 afterwards, I found the insects there also in great numbers on the 

 vines ; and, from information worthy of credit, am inclined to be- 

 lieve that these insects contributed, quite as much as the dry 

 weather of that season, to diminish the produce of the potato 

 fields in this vicinity. They principally attacked the buds, ter- 

 minal shoots, and most succulent growing parts of these and other 

 herbaceous plants, puncturing them with their beaks, drawing off 

 the sap, and, from the effects subsequently visible, apparently 

 poisoning the parts attacked. These shortly afterwards withered, 

 turned black, and in a few days dried up ; or curled, and remained 

 permanently stunted in their growth. Early in the morning the 

 bugs would be found buried among the little expanding leaves of 

 the growing extremities of the plants, at which time it was not 

 very difficult to catch them ; but, after they had become warmed 

 a little by the sun, they became exceedingly active, and, on the 

 approach of the fingers, would loose their hold, and either drop 

 suddenly or fly away. Sometimes, too, when on the stem of a 

 plant, they would dodge round to the other side, and thus elude 

 our grasp. I regret that the pressure of other occupations, during 

 the proper season for investigating the history and transforma- 

 tions of these insects, has hitherto prevented me from observing 

 them during their various stages, and that I have not been able to 

 obtain the requisite information from other persons. I can there- 

 fore only add, to the facts above stated, a description of the 

 insects in their adult state, with the times of their appearance. 



This kind of bug is the Phytocoris lineolaris, a variety of 

 which was first described and figured by Palisot de Beauvois un- 

 der the specific name above given, and was doubtingly referred by 

 him to the genus Coreus ; and it was subsequently described by 

 Mr. Say, who called it Capsus oblineatus. All the insects be- 

 longing to the genus Phytocoris* (which means plant-bug) are 



* This new genus or sub-genus was instituted by Fallen, and is not noticed by 

 Latreille and Laporte. It differs from Capsus chiefly in having a smaller head 

 and the thorax wider behind, and narrower before, than in the latter genus. 



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