PSYCHE 
[Decembe] 
swell, until at 6:i6 1 ’. M,, it was greatly distended, and cylindrical, apparently 
unable to hold more. Yet the insect remained attached until 6:18:15 "'hen 
it withdrew the beak and began to run off. It now resembled a gravid termite 
female, all abdomen. At 6:20 P. M., it voided a drop of thick, dark, liquid excre- 
ment. 
K. Experiments with living ?nice. 
At 8 P. M., September 28th, three recently born mice were placed under a 
bell-jar, and three adults and two larvm of colu?nbarius added. 'Phey were left 
over night in a dark-room, and were found gorged with blood on the morning of 
-September the 29th. 
While placing them under the bell-jar the evening before, one of the adults 
accidently fell on the body of one of the young mice, which it immediately 
attacked. When its beak was inserted, the mouse jumped from the pain, and a 
struggle then ensued, the almost helpless little animal trying desperatively to dis- 
lodge the sucking insect by rolling and kicking. Several times, the bug lost its 
hold, but turned at once and renewed the attack, until at last, it obtained a 
position on the breast of the mouse, between the fore legs, where it was simply 
impossible for it to be reached. Here it fed until satisfied. 
The insects showed no hesitancy in attacking these mice, after gaining 
access to them; but on account of the presence of light being necessary in 
order to watch them, they would not as a general rule, go at once to feed. Some 
do not seem to mind the light at all, however. This is seemingly dependent on 
the state of their appetite. 
-■\t 7.30 P. M., September the 29th, the experiment was repeated, using the 
same mice, now nearly exhausted from lack of nourishment. Two adults and 
one larva were left over night with the three mice. The following morning they 
were gorged with blood. The mice were dead. 
Young mice are very sensitive to the attacks of these insects. They start 
with pain when bitten, and in their helpless way, struggle frantically to keep the 
insects away, or to dislodge them. But the activity and persistency of the “bed- 
bugs make their struggles useless.” 
The writers could not find any marked differences between lectulariiis and 
and co! nmbarius, in their behavior towards the foregoing hosts. The former is 
perhaps, more bold and active than the latter. 
Literature referred to. 
1896. Osborn, Herbert. The Common Bed Bug. {Acanthia lectularia 
Linn.) Bull. No. 5, new series, Division Ent., LL S. Dep. Agric., Washington, 
