15° 



SECOND REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



in the discovery of myriads of the insect, not in the dead grass, but at 

 the edge of the live grass, where they may be scraped up by handfuls. 

 They have destroyed about fifteen acres for Mr. King and several acres 

 for each of several other farmers of his vicinity. They are causing 

 extreme alarm, and if you can give any relief from this calamity it will 

 be gratefully appreciated. This is an important grazing locality. In 

 addition to the timothy, June grass and wire grass are also destroyed. 



The Insect Identified. 



The insects being submitted to me by Secretary Harison, of the 

 State Agricultural Society, they were at once, greatly to my surprise, 

 recognized as the notorious chinch-bug of the Southern and Western 

 States. It was the first instance of a New York specimen of the species 

 coming under my observation, nor had I knowledge of its occurrence 

 within the State, beyond the record of Dr. Fitch of his having met with 

 three individuals of it. Dr. Harris had seen one specimen in Massa- 

 chusetts. In each of the above instances, the occurrence was deemed 

 of such interest and importance that the date of observation was given.* 



The Insect Described. 



It belongs to the order of Hemiptera, which comprises all of the bugs 

 proper. It is, therefore, without biting jaws, but takes its food by suction 

 through a four-jointed proboscis, which, when not in use, is bent beneath 

 the body. Its size seems quite disproportioned to its destructive powers, 

 being but three-twentieths of an inch long and one-third of its length 

 broad. Its body is black and slightly hairy (a fine grayish down) under 

 a magnifier. The wing-covers, resting flat upon its back, are white with 

 a subtriangular black spot in the middle of the outer 

 margin of each, and a few black veins upon their 

 middle; the feet, claws and enlarged ends of the 

 antennae are black, while elsewhere the latter and 

 the legs are dull yellow. Fig. 37 represents the 

 insect. 



Although the injuries of this insect in wheat-fields 

 in North Carolina were known over a hundred years 

 ago, it was not until fifty years thereafter, that it 

 received from Mr. Say, of New Harmony, Ind., a 

 scientific name and description. It was referred by 

 him to the genus LygcBiis, and given the specific 



Fig. 37— The Chinch-bn 

 Blissus leucoptekus. 



*" The three specimens which I have met with in this State, occurred upon willows in the 

 spring of 1847, and May 12th, 1851 " (Fitch, 2<^ Report las. N. Y., 1856, p. 287). 



" While this sheet is passing through the press [in which it is stated that the chinch-bug 

 fortunately has not yet been observed in New England], I have to record the discovery of 

 one of these bugs in my own garden, on the 17th of June, 1852" (Harris, Insects Injurious 

 to Vegetation, 1862, p. 197). 



