198 
HEMIPTERA. 
contained in the first volume of their interesting “ Introduc¬ 
tion to Entomology/’ “ America suffers in its wheat and 
maize from the attack of an insect, which, for what reason I 
know not, is called the chinch-bug flj. It appears to be 
apterous, and is said in scent and color to resemble the bed¬ 
bug. They travel in immense columns from field to field, like 
locusts, destroying everything as they proceed ; but their 
injuries are confined to the States south of the 40th degree of 
north latitude. From this account,” add Kirby and Spence, 
“ the depredator here noticed should belong to the tribe 
Geocorisce. Latr.; but it seems very difficult to conceive how 
Fig. 84. 
an insect that lives by suction, and has no mandibles, could 
destroy these plants so totally.” 
I have ascertained, from an examination of living speci¬ 
mens, that the chinch-bug is the Lygmis LeucojAerus (Fig. 
84), or white-winged Lyggeus, described by 
Mr. Say, in December, 1831, in a rare 
little pamphlet on the “ Heteropterous He- 
miptera of North America.” It appears, 
moreover, to belono; to the modern o-enus 
Rhjparochromus. In its perfect state it is 
not apterous, but is provided with wings, 
and then measures about three twentieths 
of an inch in length. It is readily distinguished by its white 
wing-covers, upon each of which there is a short central 
line and a large marginal oval spot of a black color. The 
rest of the body is black and downy, except the beak, the 
legs, the antennae at base, and the hinder edge of the thorax, 
which are reddish yellow, and the fore part of the thorax, 
which has a iiravish lustre. The vouno; and wino:less indi- 
viduals are at first briMit red, chancrino; with ao;e to brown 
and black, and are always marked with a white band across 
the back. It is a mistake that these insects are confined to 
the States south of the 40th degree; for I have been favored 
with them by Professor Lathrop, of Beloit College, IViscon- 
sin, and bv Dr. Le Baron, of Geneva, Illinois. The latter 
