HEMIPTERA. 199 



at the perfect or winged state. In both sexes we find threadlike 

 or tapering antennae, longer than the head, but much shorter than 

 those of plant-lice, and feet consisting of only one joint, termi- 

 nated by a single claw. The mature female retains the beak 

 or sucker, but does not acquire wings ; the male on the contrary 

 has two wings, but the beak disappears. In both there are two 

 slender threads at the extremity of the body, very short in some 

 females, usually quite long in the males, which moreover are pro- 

 vided with a stylet at the tip of the abdomen, which is recurved 

 beneath the body. 



The following account* contains a summary of nearly all that 

 is known respecting the history and habits of these insects. 

 Early in the spring the bark-lice are found apparently torpid, 

 situated longitudinally in regard to the branch, the head upwards, 

 and sticking by their flattened inferior surface closely to the bark. 

 On attempting to remove them they are generally crushed, and 

 there issues from the body a dark colored fluid. By pricking 

 them with a pin, they can be made to quit their hold, as I have 

 often seen in the common species, Coccus Hesperidum, infesting the 

 myrtle. A little later the body is more swelled, and, on carefully 

 raising it with a knife, numerous oblong eggs will be discovered 

 beneath it, and the insect appears dried up and dead, and only its 

 outer skin remains, which forms a convex cover to its future pro- 

 geny. Under this protecting shield the young are hatched, and, 

 on the approach of warm weather, make their escape at the lower 

 end of the shield, which is either slightly elevated or notched at 

 this part. They then move with considerable activity, and dis- 

 perse themselves over the young shoots or leaves. The shape of 

 the young Coccus is much like that of its parent, but the body is 

 of a paler color and more thin and flattened. Its six short legs 

 and its slender beak are visible under a magnifier. Some are 

 covered with a mealy powder, as the Coccus Cacti, or cochenille 

 of commerce, and the Coccus Adonidum, or mealy bug of our 

 green-houses. Others are hairy or woolly ; but most of them are 

 naked and dark colored. These young lice insert their beaks 

 into the bark or leaves, and draw from the cellular substance the 



* It was drawn up by me in the year 1828, and published in the seventh volume 

 of the « New England Farmer", p. 186 - 187. 



