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No. 145.j 
as to cause death in a delicate person of irritable habits. But 
such instances must be extremely rare. The insect has been freely 
handled, times without number, by different persons, without its 
manifesting any malevolence or disposition to injure, and to secure 
a concert of their shrill note*, boys have been known sportively 
to imprison numbers of them in the crowns of their hats, without 
harm. Upon this subject, R. W. Kennicott writes me as follows: 
<f I consider the common idea that Cicadas can produce death by 
stinging, to be highly preposterous. If it were so, I fancy I ought 
myself to be about a dozen corpses this time, for I have handled 
hundreds of them in such a manner as gave them a fair chance 
to try their stinging powers on me, had they been possessed of 
such. I observed that when I pulled them off from a branch, 
while in the act of depositing eggs therein, they would often con¬ 
tinue instinctively to work the ovipositing apparatus for some 
time; and should any one’s hand or finger happen to be in the 
way at this time, it would be very apt to get severely pricked, 
such is the sharpness of the instrument.” 
AFFECTING THE LEAVES. 
Small green lice without wings, accompanied by a few black and green onea 
having wings, all crowded together in vast numbers upon the green tips of 
the twigs and under sides of the leaves, sucking their juices. 
The Apple Plant-louse. Aphis Mali, Fadricics. 
The Apple Leaf-louse. Aphis Malifolite. 
These insects pertain to the Order Homoptera and the Family 
Aphidze. The Genus J}phis is at once distinguished from all other 
insects by having its fore wings with one longitudinal vein, the 
rib-vein, from which branches three oblique veins, the last or 
outermost one of which is twice forked. The insects of this 
family, and of the closely allied family Coccida: or Bark-lice are 
among the greatest pests which the fruit grower and ibe gardener 
have to encounter. They are astonishingly prolific; and every 
kind of tree, shrub and herb, it is probable, has a species of louse 
infesting it, whilst many have two, three or more, each part of 
[Assembly, No. 145. | 48 
