NATURAL HISTORY CALENDAR. 329 
valued friend to man, as in Europe it destroys the bed-bug. Its 
Specific name is derived from wie eped while immature, of conceal- 
ing itself in a case of dust, the better to approach its prey. 
Another friend of the ef te is the Phymata erosa , (Fig. 5). 
Mr. F. G. Sanborn states that ‘these insects have been taken in great 
numbers upon the linden trees in the city of Bos ston, and Fig. 5. 
were seen in the act of devouring the Aphides, which hay 
infested the shade-trees of that city for several years ae 
hey are described by a gentleman who watched their op- 
erations with great interest, as ‘stealing up ta a louse, 
coolly seizing and tucking it under the arm, then inserting 
the beak and sucking it dry.’ They are Sa to feed also on 
other vegetable eating insects as well as the plant lou 
found upon different regions of the b Different varieties are found 
living upon the bodies of different races of men 
An allied group, gr pepeg nn: live on the hair of mam- 
Malia and feathers of birds. In this group there are distinct jaws. 
shag every bird wie mammal has its parasite, so that the number of 
‘tes is actually very large. 
AMERICAN NAT., VOL. 1. 42 
