NATURALISTS CABINET. 



General food Amazing fecundity. 



many of them were found almost immediately 

 afterwards in the new-built houses. Their most 

 favourite food is blood, dried paste, size, deal, 

 beech, osier, and some other kinds of timber, 

 the sap of which they suck ; and on any of these 

 they are able to exist. They will not feed on 

 oak, walnut, cedar, or mahogany; for several 

 pairs that, for the sake of experiment, were con- 

 fined with these kinds of wood soon died, whilst 

 those kept with the others continued to thrive 

 through the whole year. 



The female generally lays about fifty eggs at a 

 time, which are white, and, when protruded, are 

 covered with a viscous matter, which, afterwards 

 hardening, sticks them firmly to the place where 

 they are deposited. These are usually hatched 

 in about three weeks. The general times of lay- 

 ing are March, May, July, and September: so- 

 that from every female bug that outlives the sea- 

 son, as many as two hundred young may be pro- 

 duced. The first young begin to burst from 

 their eggs early in spring, and frequently in Fe- 

 bruary. For some time after they first escape 

 from the egg, they are perfectly white, but they 

 generally become brown in the course of about 

 three weeks. In eleven weeks they are at full 

 growth. They are then very watchful and cun- 

 ning creatures ; and so fierce, among their own 

 species, that they will sometimes contend with 

 the utmost fury; and in their combats they sel- 

 dom leave off till either one or -both of them are 



