OTHER INSECTS. 203 
The “Electric-light Bug’’ or The Giant Water-bug (Ben- 
acus griseus Say, fig. 167) is a well-known bug that can in- 
flict very severe bites and in handling them the proper pre- 
caution should be taken to hold the insect in such a way 

Fig. 168.—Lopidea media Say. Greatly enlarged. Original. 
that it can not use its short beak. Their bite is very pois- 
onous, and whenever they bite a fish this almost imme- 
diately dies. 
Unexpected things are apt to occur, and insects that are 
usually found only upon plants may develope a taste for 
blood. While camping for a few daysupon an island largely 
covered with wild gooseberries, the insect illustrated in fig. 
168 was frequently observed upon these plants, where it 
seemed to feed, like allits near relatives, upon the sap. But 
soon after, the persons living in the camp were bitten very 
frequently by these bugs, and their bite caused considerable 
pain and swellings of the bitten part. The bugs would imbibe 
blood until barely able to fly. But asif to prove their love 
for human blood they even invaded the tent, and large num- 
bers of them were killed to prevent, them from biting. The 
insect (Lopidwe media Say) is a rather brightly-colored bug, 
being yellowish-red marked with black. 
