THE BEDBUri AND CONE-NOSE. 



41 



state, often under bark of trees or in any similar protection, and only in 

 its nocturnal spring- and early summer flights does it become an enemy 

 of man in the effort to gratify its taste for human blood. 



This insect is particularly abundant and usually enters houses in 

 early spring (April and May), sometimes in considerable numbers, and 

 seems to be decidedly on the increase in the region which it particu- 

 larly affects — the plains region from Texas northward and westward. 

 A correspondent in Indian Territory reported having in the course of 

 a short while killed upward of a dozen. They were usually found in 

 the bed or near by, and their connection with the injury was often 

 very i^lainly evident by their being found turgid. with blood. 



The common California species closely resembles in appearance and 

 habits the one named at the head of this section, but is a distinct 



species and apparently undescribed. The 

 local name in California for this insect is 

 ''monitor bug." 



The results of the bite of tlie cone-nose 

 on the human subject vary a good deal 

 with the susceptibility of the person bit- 

 ten, but are often of a very serious and 

 alarming character. The i^iercing of the 

 skin is evidently accompanied by the 

 injection of some poisonous liquid or 

 venom, making a sore, itching wound, 

 accompanied with a burning pain lasting 

 sometimes from two to four days, and 

 often associated with swellings, which 

 may extend over a good deal of the body. 

 That there is a specific poison injected is 

 indicated rather conclusively by the very 

 constant and uniform character of the 

 symptoms in nearly all cases of bites by this insect. It has, however, 

 been suggested that the very serious results which sometimes follow 

 its bite n»ay be due to the fact that it has previously thrust its beak 

 into some decaying animal matter, causing a certain amount of blood 

 l)oisoning in the patient. This theory has support in the facts stated 

 by the late J. B. Lembert, of California, who says that he has noticed 

 that the si)ecies of Conorhinus occurring on the Pacific Slope is 

 attracted by carrion. Mr. Lembert described the effect on himself 

 of a sting by this insect on the middle toe of the left foot. Following 

 the sting an itching sensation extended up the leg, large blotches 

 manifesting themselves on the upper part of the limb and extending 

 up to the hands and arms. His lips swelled, and the itching and 

 swelling extended over the head, and he was also nuich nauseated. 

 The itching abated after four or five hours, but the swelling did not go 

 down until the next day. A correspondent, writing to Prof. J. W. 



Fig. 12.— Conorhimissang^iisuga: a, head, 

 sbowiufj beak; b, same, from the side, 

 ■svitli piercing seta? removed from 

 sheath and with tip of one of them en- 

 larged; c, same, from below— much en- 

 larged (original) . 



