82 NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 
killed they are forever out of the way. I would suggest 
that for boys in the country this would afford a fit and 
amusing occupation when out of school, thereby keeping 
themselves and the bugs from doing mischief. 
This species of bugs, as well as all kindred ones, inflict 
often painful wounds, which are sometimes more venomous 
than the sting of a scorpion, which is often experienced in 
tropical countries, and produce tumors as big as the egg of 
a pigeon, for several days. But it is much more singular 
that there is found in the West Indies a bug known by the 
name of the Wheel-bug (Reduvius serratus), which, like the 
Electric Eel and the Torpedo, communicates to the person 
whose flesh it touches an electric shock, which comes out 
from its legs. 
Tree-hoppers (Membracis). 
The TREE-HoPrERS are mostly of a green color, and 
small size; they have four wings, and a very 
large thorax or chest; they possess the power of 
leaping a distance of five or six feet, which is 
about two hundred and fifty times their length. 
They generally remain motionless for hours upon 
Tee the leaf of a bush or tree, imbibing the sap of 
the plant; but at the approach of any one they 
suddenly leap with great ease into the air, at the same time 
spreading out their wings, and fly to some other abode. 
They feed mostly on the leaves of the oak, the locust, 
and several other trees. But their injury is of no great 
importance. The principal species of Tree-hoppers are 
the 
Figure 21. 

Membracis Ampelopsidis, on the Ampelopsis vine ; 
e bimaculata, *¢ ~ locust-tree ; 
oa univittata, ** oak-tree, ete, 
