INSECTS. 



indigo (indigofera tinctoria), and in Pennsylvania^ 

 New Jersey, &c. devour the leaves and stems of the 

 potatoe, to the great injury of the crops,* 



Four species of meloe that blister are found in the 

 United States. The first was brought into notice by 

 Dr. Isaac Chapman of Bucks county, Pennsylvania. 

 The species described by Dr. Chapman feeds chiefly 

 upon the potatoe ; another upon the clematis crispa^ 

 a third C meloe Penns» Linn* J upon firunella vuU 

 garis or self heal, and ambrosia trijida or stickweed. 

 The meloe majalis has not yet been used to blister, 

 though the attention of physicians was some years 

 since directed to it by Dr. Shoepf. From frequent 

 trials I am convinced, that the powers of Dr. Chap-, 

 man's blistering fly are equal, if not superior, to those 

 of Europe. In several cases three blisters w^ere 

 1 aised in succession ; whereas it seldom happens that 

 more than one follows the application of the Euro- 

 pean cantharides. These insects swept away whole 

 fields of polatoetops in the years 1798, and 99, but 

 since that time they have been seen but seldom, t 



Blue wasfi^ a species of sphex^ of the order hyme- 

 noptera of Linnseus. Two species will only now be 

 noticed, on account of their singularly cruel mode of 

 providing for their young. 



1. The sfihecc c<srul€a or blue wasp, is most com- 

 mon. His antennse are pointed, and stand up'when 

 he is at work. His nose is furnished with a strong 

 beak, with which he works sideways, leaving ridges 

 on his cell ; his thorax is thick, abdomen petiolated. 

 The wings play between a beautiful green, bro\m 



* Med, and Phys. Journal, voJ. 2d. 



t I'his insect is the Lytta Vitata, before-mentioned. 



