12 STUDIES IN INSECT LIFE, ETC. 



is large, and ends in a long, piercing, four- jointed 

 proboscis, which forms a tube with four piercing 

 stylets in it. As a rule, the proboscis is folded 

 back into a groove, which reaches to the first 

 pair of legs on the under surface of the thorax. 

 This folding back of the proboscis gives the insect 

 a demure and even a devout expression ; it 

 appears to be engaged in prayer, but a bug never 

 prays. The head bears two black eyes and two 

 four- jointed antennae. Each of the six legs is 

 provided with two claws, and all the body is 

 covered with fairly numerous hairs. The abdo- 

 men shows seven visible segments and a terminal 

 piece. 



The bug has no fixed period of the year for 

 breeding ; as long as the temperature is favour- 

 able and the food abundant generation will suc- 

 ceed generation without pause. Should, how- 

 ever, the weather turn cold the insects become 

 numbed and their vitality and power of repro- 

 duction are interrupted until a sufficient degree 

 of warmth returns. 



Like the cockroach, the bed-bug is a frequenter 

 of human habitations, but only of such as have 

 reached a certain stage of comfort. It is said 

 to be comparatively rare in the homes of savages ; 



