540 THE ANIMAL PARASITES OF MAN 



at Washington and elsewhere; other species occurred, and so no 

 definite opinion existed as to the actual biter, but some people took 

 R. persomitns actually biting. It was first described as a parasite of 

 man in America by Walsh and Riley. 1 



A popular name for this bug is the wheel or masked bug a 

 black insect, three-fourths of an inch long. The larva of this 

 bug is carnivorous and covers its body with dust so as to conceal 

 itself from. its prey. The adult is active on the wing. 



Coriscus subcoleoptratus, Kirby, 1837. 



Syn. : Nabicula subcoleoptrata, Kirby, 1837; Nabis subcoleoptratus, 

 Reuter, 1872; Coriscus subcoleoptratus, Stal, 1873. 



Northern United States. Howard was bitten by one between the 

 fingers the pain was intense, like a needle prick, but the swelling 

 was small. No other case known. 



Rasahus biguttatus, Say, 1831. 



Syn. : Pirates biguttatus. Stal, 1862 ; Callisphodrus biguttatus, Stal, 1866 ; 

 Rasahus biguttatus, Stal, 1872. 



Common in southern United States, and found in Cuba, Panama 

 and Para, etc. Known as the two-spotted corsair on account of the 

 great spot on the hemielytra. Frequently found in houses, where 

 it chases the bed bug. It also bites man frequently. From 

 1869 Walsh and Riley placed it amongst the parasites of man. 

 In the United States Davidson 3 is of opinion that all cases attributed 

 to spider bites are due to this insect. 



Melanolestes morio, Erichson, 1848 (Non-walker). 



Syn.: Pirates morio, Erichson, 1848 ; Melanolestes morio, Stal, 1866; 

 Pirates picipes, Herrich-Schaffer, 1848 ; Melanolestes picipes, Howard, 1900. 



Guiana and Mexico and eastern and southern United States. 

 Length 20 mm., hides under stones and logs during daylight, and flies 

 at night. Attracted by lights into houses. Very abundant in 1899 

 at Washington. Howard cites cases where it was proved to bite man. 



Melanolestes abdominalis, Herrich-Schaffer, 1848. 



Syn. : Pirates abdominalis, Herrich-S charier ; Melanolestes abdominalis, Uhler, 1875. 



Allied to the former ; some say similar, but can be told by the 



shorter wings on the female. It occurs in the same localities as A/", morio. 



1 American Entomologist, 1869, i, pp. 84-88. 



2 R. Blanchard, " Sur la Piqure de quelques Hemipteres," Arch, de Par., 1902, p. 145. 

 :1 "So-called Spider-bites and their Treatment," Therap. Gaz., February 19, 1875. 



