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THE YOUNG NATURALIST, 



peas, in which they undergo their transformation, when it makes its escape 

 by gnawing a hole in the pea, the larva having previously eaten its way al- 

 most to the surface ; the beetles remain in the peas until the following 

 season. This species is rare in Britain as a native. It is imported in peas 

 in large numbers into this country. It is sometimes so abundant in some 

 parts of North America as to totally destroy the crops of peas. 



BnichllS pectinicornis feeds in beans, in granaries, corn stores, &c. 

 This species I obtained in Manchester about thirty years ago, from Mr. T. 

 Kelsall, feeding on horse beans. 



Bruchus rufimanus occur in beans. I have seen the perfect insects 

 flying in abundance in a bean field at Castle Mill, and settling on the flowers, 

 the larva feed on the interior of the beans, in which they pass their transfor- 

 mations. Egyption beans are frequently infested. If beans are put into 

 water the infested ones will float. A friend of mine gave me a few beans, 

 some of which he was eating. 1 split a few with a knife, when, to his 

 astonishment, I found a few beetles in them. The beetles which feed in 

 them are quite concealed in the interior, and my friend declined to eat any 

 more, 



Bruchus lentis. The larva feed and undergo their transformation in 

 the interior of the lentils. 



Hypothenemus eruditus is a very small insect. It was discovered 

 by Mr. Westwood, feeding in profusion in the cover of a book (whence the 

 name) over fifty years since. It was found a few years ago, in the cracks of 

 the bark of trees at Hawaii, an Island in South Pacific, by the Rev. Thomas 

 Blackburn. This insect is only two-fifths of a line in length, in consequence 

 of it only having been found in the cover of a book, and that so long ago, it 

 has been erased from the British list. 



Acanthia lectularia, the bed-bug belongs to the order Hemiptera, or 

 half- wings. It is apterous or destitute of wings, it has very slight rudiments 

 of wings, or hemilytra. It has been asserted that this species sometimes 

 acquires wings. It has a kind of rostrum, from which three rigid, pointed 

 setae, can be protruded, which when united form a sucker, resembling a sting ; 

 it is adapted for extracting fluid. It is nocturnal in its habits, only coming 

 out of concealment at night, when it uses its sucker for extracting blood from 

 mankind. It emits a disagreeable odour, similar to many other species which 

 live on plants. It is often asserted that this species did not exist in England, 

 previous to the great fire of London in 1666; and that it was imported in 

 timber into London from America. This insect is mentioned by Dioscorides, 

 who was contemporaneous with Nero, A.D. 54 — 68. 



