267 
The Blood-sucking Con^-nose again 
Inclosed you will find an insect that I would like to know something about. It 
was found under the following circumstances: About 1:15 a. m., August 16, 1893, I 
was aroused from my sleep by my wife's heavy breathing. On questioning her, she 
complaiued of severe headache and a sensation of swelling about the face, which 
rapidly spread to all parts of the body, and the itching becoming unbearable, sick- 
ness at the stomach and vomiting followed; the body and limbs broke out with red 
blotches, welts, or eruptions, like a severe case of measles. By bathing her freely 
with sweet oil she went to sleep in about fifteen minutes, and all signs of the poison 
disappeared except the pallid expression of the face and a slight swelling on 
on the shoulder, where the wound was inflicted by the bite or sting. When I first 
awoke I made a search for insects and found this one on her pillow. Two years ago 
she nearly died with the same symptoms, and the next morning two large insects, the 
-same as this, were found on the bed, and, when killed, were found to be full of blood. 
I therefore suspect this fellow of being somewhat dangerous. If you can tell us 
whether we can attribute the sickness to this insect, you will do us a favor. — [J. L. 
Hathaway, Arizona, to Prof. J. W. Tourney, August 16, 1893. 
Reply to Prof. Tourney: The Conorhinus which you send has been carefully 
•examined. It is probably one of the Mexican species of this genus, but is in too 
poor condition for specific determination. It differs, however, from any of the named 
species in the national collection. All of the species of this genus have the blood- 
sucking habit, and you are doubtless familiar with the accounts of C. sanguisuga. I 
see no reason to doubt the accuracy of Prof. Hathaway's account, supposing that his 
wife is peculiarly susceptible to disturbances of the system from insect bites. You 
will find in the annual report of the Entomologist for 1884, p. 414, an account by 
Prof. J. G. Lemmon, of California, of an experience which he and his wife had with a 
species of this genus, which reminds me of Prof. Hathaway's account. Prof. Lem- 
mon's experience was in the Santa Catalina mountains of your State. — [September 
14, 1893.] 
Leaf-hopper Damage to Winter Grain. 
I send you to-day by mail samples of flies or insects which are infesting the small 
grain fields in this part of the county, and which in some instances completely 
destroy the oats and rye. The insect appears in great numbers, and when the oats 
and rye are just up completely destroys them; after the grain gets good root and 
begins to spread out they do not kill it out so badly, but keep it from growing, and 
it looks sickly and small. What is the name of the insect and how can we get rid 
of it? In young rye planted for grass they are now in great numbers — millions — 
notwithstanding we have had several good frosts. I have been in several counties 
lately and see them everywhere, but not so numerous as on my place. In some 
places they have damaged the young turnips. — [L. S. Connor, South Carolina, Novem- 
ber 20, 1893.] 
Reply. — The insects which are damaging your small grain belong to two or three 
different species of Leaf-hoppers, including Diedrocephalus flavipes Riley and Cica- 
dula 4-jmnctata Fab. Injury of this kind is comparatively rare; but two or three 
cases are on record. In his annual report as entomologist of this Department for 
1879, Prof. Comstock treated o± the damage done by a closely allied species, Cicadula 
exitiosa, to winter wheat in your own State. You will find a full account of this 
occurrence in the annual report of this Department for 1879 (pp. 191-193). Thedamage 
was done during the winter of 1879-80, and was attributed to the extremely mild 
season. Similar damage to wheat has occasionally been reported in parts of Europe, 
and in the spring of 1875 such injury was reported from certain parts of Illinois; 
also during the winter of 1876 from parts of Texas. Under ordinary circumstances 
leaf-hoppers are kept within winter quarters and many are killed by the cold 
weather. The only remedy which was recommended in this report was the carry- 
14161— No. 3 -5 
