BED-BUGS AND FLOWER-BUGS, 49 
The illustration, Fig. 40, shows how this nasty insect looks. 
We see that, being a parasite, and no longer leading a rambling 
existence like other bugs, but being a sort of domesticated ani- 
mal, it has lost the wings, these being no longer required, and it 
possesses simply rudiments of them. These are indicated in the 
illustration, and look like a little chitinous flap on each side behind 
the thorax. The adult bugs, as well as the younger ones, are well 
adapted to enter narrow cracks, having a very flattened shape, 
and in such shelters they hide during the day, being active only 
at night. During spring they deposit about fifty white and oval 
Fic. 40.—Acanthia Jectularia Linn. Original. 
eggs. 1.12 mm long, and similar to those shown in Fig. 41, in 
the joints of bed-steads, cracks in walls, under loose wall-paper, 
but especially near iron, be this an old nail in the wall or the 
hooks that are used to fasten the bedstead together. These eggs 
are very beautiful objects; they are terminated by a cap, which is 
removed by the escaping young bugs. These latter possess the 
color of innocence, being white and almost transparent; they 
look, in shape, very much like the old ones, and are only a little 
broader in comparison, and have stouter feelers. As soon as they 
