174 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO VEGETATION. 



had been tried to destroy or expel them without effect. On 

 visiting my potato-patch shortly afterwards, I found the insects 

 there also in great numbers on the vines; and, from informa- 

 tion worthy of credit, am inclined to believe 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, terminal 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 then- 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 being warmed 

 by the sun, they became exceedingly active, and, on the ap- 

 proach 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. In July, 1851, some of these insects were 

 sent to me by a gentleman, who brought them from St. Johns- 

 bury, Vt, where they were confidently believed to be the 

 cause of the potato-rot. 



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

 which was first described and figured by Palisot de Beauvois 

 under 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 belonging to the genus Phytocoris* (which means 

 plant-bug) are found on plants, and subsist on their juices, 

 which they obtain by suction through their sharp beaks. 

 They are easily distinguished from other bugs by the follow- 

 ing characters. Eyelets wanting; antennae four-jointed, with 



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

 by Latroille 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. 



