POISONOUS INSECTS AND THEIR RELATIVES 421 



Howard gives several instances of bites by this insect. 

 In one case the bite was upon the cheek and was followed 

 by much swelling but no great pain. In another instance, 

 a person was bitten on the end of the middle finger. The 

 first sensation was much like that of a bee sting, but the 

 pain soon became very much worse, followed by a feeling 

 of weakness accompanied with vomiting. The pain ex- 

 tended up the arm and the sickness lasted several days. 

 In another case, the patient was bitten while in bed with 

 painful results and considerable swelling. It is important 

 to note that these insects will enter houses and bite persons. 

 Without doubt, a closely related species, Melanolestes 

 abdominalis, is also capable of inflicting severe wounds. 



There are two species of bugs that occur in the southern 

 and southwestern portions of the United States that are 

 evidently responsible for many of the punctures attrib- 

 uted to kissing bugs. These are the two-spotted corsair, 

 Rasahus biguttatus, and its close relative, Rasahus thoraci- 

 cus. The first species is recorded as common in houses 

 in the South, where it preys upon bedbugs. The same 

 species has been supposed to be common in California, and 

 A. Davidson, formerly of Los Angeles, has attributed nearly 

 all of the so-called spider bites in Southern California to 

 the punctures of this insect. He describes the injuries 

 produced in some detail : " Next day the injured part shows 

 a local cellulitis with a central dark spot ; around this spot 

 there frequently appears a bulbous vesicle about the size 

 of a 10-cent piece filled with a dark grumous fluid ; a small 

 ulcer forms underneath the vesicle, the necrotic area being 

 generally limited to the central part, while the surrounding 

 tissues are more or less swollen and somewhat painful. 

 In a few days with rest and proper care the swelling sub- 



