APPLfi LEATES, TLANT-LOtTSE ITS NUMBERS. 49 



as to cause death in a delicate person of irritable habits. But 

 such instances must be extremely rare. The insect has been freely 

 handled, times without number, by different persons, without its 

 manifesting any malevolenxje or disposition to injure, and to secure 

 a concert of their shrill note?, boys have been known sportively 

 to impris<»n numbers of them in the crowns of their hats, without 

 harm. Upon this subject, R. W. Kennicott writes me as follows-: 

 " I consider the common idea that Cicadas can produce death by 

 stinging, to be highly preposterous. If it were so, I fancy I ought 

 myself to be about a dozen corpses at this time, for I have handled 

 hundreds of them in such a manner as gave them a fair chance 

 to try their stinging powers on me, had they been possessed of 

 such, I observed that when I pulled them off from a branch, 

 while in the act of depositing eggs therein, they would often con- 

 tinue instinctively to work the ovipositing apparatus for some 

 time; and should any one's hand or finger happen to be in the 

 way at this time, it would be very apt to get severely pricked, 

 such is the sharpness of the instrument." 



AFFECTING THE LEAVES. 



Small green lice without wings, accompanied by a few black and green ones 

 having wings, all crowded together in vast numbejrs upon the green tips of 

 the twigs and under sides of the leaves, sucking their juices. 

 The Apple Plant-lotise. AphU Mali, Fabrictos. 

 The ApptE Leaf-louse. Aphis Matifolia. 



These insects pertain to the Order Homoptera and the Family 

 Aphidje. The Genus Jphis is at once distinguished from allother 

 inse<;ts by having its fore wings with one longitudinal vein, the 

 rib-vein, from which branches three oblique veins, the last or 

 outermost one ( f which is twice forked. The insects of this 

 family, and of the closely allied family Coccidje or Bark- lice are 

 among the greatest pests which the fruit grower and ihe gardener 

 have to encounter. They are astonishingly prolific ; and every 

 kind (if tree, shrub and herb, it is probable, has a species of louse 

 infesting it, whilst many have two, three or more, eaeh part of 



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