SUCKING INSECTS. 185 



night." In earlier times, indeed, this insect was looked 

 upon with no little fear, no doubt because it was not 

 so abundant as at present. " In the year 1503," says 

 Mouffet, " Dr. Penny was called in great haste to a 

 little village, called Mortlake, near the Thames, to 

 visit two noblemen, who were much frightened by the 

 appearance of bug-bites, and were in fear of I know 

 not what contagion ; but when the matter was known, 

 and the insects caught, he laughed them out of all 

 fear*." This fact, of course, disproves the statement 

 of Southall, that bugs were not known in England 

 before 1670. Linnaeus was of opinion, however, that 

 it is not originally a native of Europe, but has been 

 imported from America. Be this as it may, it seems 

 to thrive but too well in our climate, though it mul- 

 tiplies less in Britain than in the warmer regions of 

 the continent, where it is also said to grow to a larger 

 size, and to bite more keenly. We never observed 

 this insect in Ireland f. 



But even in our own island these obtrusive insects 

 often banish sleep. " The night is usually the season 

 when the wretched have rest from their labour ; but 

 this seems the only season when the bug issues from 

 its retreats to make its depredations. By day it 

 lurks, like a robber, in the most secret parts of the 

 bed ; takes the advantage of every chink and cranny, 

 to make a secure lodgment ; and. contrives its habita- 

 tion with so much art that it is no easy matter to dis- 

 cover its retreat. It seems to avoid the light with great 

 cunning ; and even if candles be kept burning, this 

 formidable insect will not issue from its hiding-place. 

 But when darkness promises security, it then issues 

 from every corner of the bed, drops from the tester, 

 crawls from behind the arras, and travels, with great 

 assiduity, to the unhappy patient who vainly wishes 

 for rest and refreshment. It is generally vain to destroy 

 * Theatr. Insect, 270. f J. R. 



