affecting the Potato*crops. 



81 



credit am inclined to believe that these insects contributed, quite as 

 much as the dry weather of that season, to diminish the produce of the 

 potato-fields in this vicinity. They principally attacked the buds, 

 terminal shoots, and most succulent growing- parts of these and other 

 herbaceous plants, puncturing them with their beaks, drawing off the 

 sap, and, from the effects subsequently visible, apparently poisoning 

 the parts attacked. These shortly after withered, turned black, and in 

 a few days dried up or curled, and remained permanently stunted in 

 their growth. Early in the morning the bugs would be found buried 

 among the little expanding leaves of the growing extremities of the 

 plants, at which time it was not very difficult to catch them ; but after 

 they had become warmed a little by the sun they became exceedingly 

 active, and on the approach of the fingers would loose their hold and 

 either drop suddenly or fly away. Sometimes, too, when on the stem of a 

 plant, they would dodge round to the other side, and thus elude our grasp. 



" I have taken this insect in the spring as early as the 20th of April, 

 and in the autumn as late as the middle of October ; from which I 

 infer that it passes the winter in the perfect state in some place of 

 security. It is most abundant during the months of June and July. 

 It seems to be very generally diffused through the Union."* 



Dr. Harris attributes the great increase of noxious insects to 

 the exterminating war which has been wantonly waged upon the 

 insect-eating birds. A hint, to place a hen-turkey or duck under 

 a crate or cage, and let the young ones scour the garden, is worth 

 attending to. 



Potato Frog-flies. 



Equally or more abundant than the Plant-bugs were these 

 suctorial insects, which were hopping and. flying over the potato 

 grounds from the end of August until the crops were lifted the 

 end of September. Every one has observed upon holyhocks and 

 other flowers little patches of frothy matter called s( Cuckoo 

 spittle :" they are occasioned by a tender little animal, which by 

 sucking the plant buries itself in this froth, which protects it from 

 heat and other inimical effects, until it is full grown, when it 

 changes to a pupa, and from this emerges the perfect insect, 

 called by Linnaeus Cicada spumaria.j The Potato frog-flies are 

 of the same family, only the larvce do not secrete froth, but move 

 about like their parents. 



There are two species inhabiting the potato-haulm: they belong 

 to the Order Homoptera, the Family Tettigonid^e, and the 

 Genus Eupteryx.J One is closely allied to Fabricius's T. 

 Jlavescens, which is larger, and, as I am doubtful of their being 

 identical, I have named the Potato species 



* Harris's Treatise on Insects, pp. 162, 163. 



t Tettigonia spumaria, Curtis's Guide, Genus 1060, No. 6, and Gardeners' 

 Chron., vol. ii. p. 509. 



% Curtis's Brit. Ent., fol. and plate 640. 

 vol. x. G 



