4 AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGY. 



speciosus, the grandis nidificates in the earth, and feeds its larvae 

 with the dead bodies of Cicadse. 



The speciosiis, grandis, and a few other large species, ought to 

 constitute a distinct division in this genus, distinguished by the 

 want of spines at the tail of the male. 



The upper figure represents the female, and the lower left 

 figure the male, both of the natural size. 



Stizus unicinctus. — Specific character. Black, opaque ; ab- 

 domen polished, with a rufous band above ; wings dark violace- 

 ous. 



Stizus unicinctus nobis, Western Quarterly Reporter, vol. i. 



p. 77. 



Obs. A broad, bright rufous band occupies the basal half of 

 the second segment of the tergum. The wings are blackish-vio- 

 laceous, and the anal spines are prominent. The length of the 

 male is half an inch. 



This species occurred on the banks of the Arkansa river, in 

 company with the preceding insect. 



The lower right figure magnified, and beneath is an outline 

 showing the natural size. 



LYTTA. Plate III. 



Generic character. Tarsi entire ; nails bifid : head not pro- 

 duced into a rostrum ; elytra flexible, covering the whole abdomen, 

 linear, semicylindric ; wings perfect ; maxillae with two membra- 

 naceous laciniae, the external one acute within, subuncinate ; an- 

 tennae longer than the head and thorax, rectilinear; first joint 

 longest, the second transverse, very short : maxillary palpi larger 

 at tip. 



Obs. To this group of insects belongs the celebrated " Spanish 

 fly/' distinguished in the healing art for its vesicating virtue. 

 The species were placed by Linne in his genus Meloe ; Geoffroy, 

 Degeer, Olivier, Lamarck, Latreille, and Leach, distinguished 

 them by the name of Cantharis ; and Fabricius, Marsham, and 

 Dejean, apply the designation I have adopted. 



The larvae live in the earth, and the perfect insect is often 

 gregarious, feeding on leaves. 



It is highly probable that all, or nearly all, of the North 

 American species, are endowed with the same properties that 

 have so long rendered the L. vesicatoria almost indispensable to 



