558 



INSECTS AT HOME. 



them possess a most aliominable odovir, wliich communicates 

 itself to any fruit over whicli a ]\[itre insect has walked. The 

 cherry orchards are sadly infested by these insects, but no Avay 

 of destroying or even checking tliera has yet been found. 



This odour is due to a fluid which passes out of two little 

 pores between the hind feet, and the insect is al)le to eject or 

 retain it at will. It has been observed that if a Mitre insect 



mv 



1. Asopns luridns. 2. Vcrlusia rhombea. 3. Coreus hirticornis. 4. Pj-rrliocoris 



apterus. a. Do., fore-leg. 6. Bo., side view of head, showing antenna and tongue. . 



be suddenly seized, plunged into water, and lield there, the two 

 pores give out a number of tiny bubbles, wliich rise rapidly to 

 the surface, burst, and thtn give out the disagreeable odour. 

 Fruit is often rendered quite uneatable by being tainted with 

 this evil-smelling substance. I believe that the insect uses 

 the fluid as a means of defence, as is the case with many other 

 insects and animals, and that it does not eject any of it upon a 

 fruit except when alarmed. There are some few of these 



