323 



a small beetle which is very injurious to the vines. The Phyl- 

 loxera vastatrix which has destroyed so many of the French 

 vineyards, belongs to the other sub-order — the Homoptera. 



In the next group, the Scutellum, is much smaller. One family 

 is the Pyrrhocoridae, of which in England we have only one 

 genus containing but one species — Pyrrhocoris Apterus. This 

 species is rather uncommon, and I have not yet succeeded in 

 finding a specimen^ though it is chiefly confined to the south-west 

 of England. When, however, it does appear there would seem 

 to be plenty, for Curtis mentions that he once saw a rock in the 

 sea, near Teignmouth, perfectly red with them ; this seems 

 peculiar, for as a general rule they have no wings. 



Curtis had a theory that climate had something to do with 

 the development of the wings, but later entomologists have 

 doubted this. 



The typical family is the Capsidae, it contains a good many 

 genera, and there are 32 species in the box. It is also called 

 Phytocoridae, from the genus Phytocoris, which means Plant 

 Bug. Of the next family Anthocoridae, Anthocoris Nemoralis is 

 interesting, as I have known one of them kill and suck a spider 

 larger than itself, or I should say suck and kill, for the spider 

 appeared to die from extreme suction. 



The family Acanthidae has but one genus, Acanthia or Cimex, 

 and it contains four species, of which I regret to say I have 

 no specimens. 



Three of them should be of interest to members of the Bath 

 Field Club, as I believe they were first named and described by 

 our President, Mr. Blomefield ; they are Acanthia columbaria, 

 A. pipistrelli and A. Rirundinis ; these, as their names denote, are 

 found on the pigeon, the bat and the swallow. And No. 4, who 

 should by right stand at the head, is Acanthia lectularia. 



This creature has given rise to much discussion among entom- 

 ologists, as to when and how it was first introduced into England. 

 Some thought it was brought over from America in timber used 



