146 SECOND REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



connected with the black marginal line. A rounded black spot rests 

 centrally on each side of the scutellum, and there is also a black dot 

 near each anterior angle. TJie wing-pads are edged with black behind, 

 and in addition they bear an S-like character in black, extending back 

 centrally from the base. Upon the abdominal segments dorsally are 

 two pairs of shining black points, of which the hinder pair are usually 

 extended laterally into a line, and the front pair are sometimes connected; 

 laterally, are four black dots marking the segments, which are also seen 

 from beneath, 



Not Hitherto Known as Injurious. 



We find no record of injuries inflicted by this species upon any of our 

 crops, nor notice of its habits by any of our economic writers. Mr. 

 Glover, in his mention of it in his Manuscript Notes from mij Journal, 

 merely states in referring to a figure that he gives of it, '^ Insect proba- 

 bly destroys other insects." This supposition may have been drawn 

 from the specific name which it bears, meaning "assassin," " execu- 

 tioner," " villain," or from the known carnivorous habits of Podisus 

 spinosus (Dallas), Perillus circumcinctus (Stal), Stiretrus ancliorago 

 (Fabr.), and others, forgetting the very different habits displayed by the 

 members of this large family — that the well-known cabbage pest, Mur- 

 gantia histrmiica, is a near relative of 0. carnifex, belonging to the same 

 sub-family of Pentatomina, and that another member of the same, Eus- 

 cliistes variolarius Pal. Beauv., feeds upon plants and animals inter- 

 changeably. 



The Insect Attacks the Potato- 



The insect in its larval, pupal and perfect stages, has been sent to me 

 from Souyea, Livingston county, N. Y., about the middle of July, with 

 the statement that they were injuring the vines, seriously, and that. 

 they were believed to be poisonous, as the vines, shortly after they had 

 been punctured by the insect, withered and died. Paris green had 

 been tried for killing, but to no purpose. 



It also Attacks the Currant. 



Subsequently, the mature insect has been sent to me for identification, 

 by Prof. D. P. Penhallow, of McGill University of Montreal, Canada, 

 as an injurious currant insect. It had appeared in large numbers in 

 1884, attacking the fruit, causing it to fall, and seriously injuring the 

 crop.* 



It iciippeared in still larger numbers the following summer. 



