OF THE PINE-APPLE. 



3:37 



havock on the plants : for this insect, with its pro- 

 boscis, perpetually wounds the fine or capillary 

 vessels of plants, and extracts their nutritious 

 juices. It also works a web about the leaves, and 

 over the tender buds and tops of the plants, in 

 such a manner, as nearly to suffocate them, and 

 prevent their vegetation. 



3. The Thrips. c This is also a very pernicious 

 species of insect, and is very common in hot-houses, 

 as well as upon plants in the open air. It is not so 

 generally known as the two former genera, partly 

 by reason of its minuteness (for the Thrips is in 

 general so small as to be scarcely perceptible), and 

 partly from the manner of its concealing itself 



c The Thrips is of the Order Hemiptera. 

 Its Characters are : 

 The rostrum of the thrips is small and obscure. 

 The antennae are as long as the thorax. 



The body is slender, and of equal thickness in its whole 

 length. 



The abdomen is reflexible, being frequently bent upwards. 



The four wings are extended, incumbent upon the back of 

 the insect, narrow in proportion to their length, and cross one 

 another at some distance from their base. 



The Thrips has six feet, and the tarsus of each foot has only 

 two articulations. 



These insects are very common on many kinds of plants and 

 flowers, and are generally veiy numerous on peaches and nec- 

 tarines, especially on that side of the fruit next the wall : in 

 this situation they are of a larger size than those usually found 

 on plants or flowers ; and with great ease may be discerned 

 by the naked eye, when the fruit is just gathered from the 

 tree. 



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