. The American entomologist. Entomology. THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 47 the difference between the beaks of the cannibal snb-group and tlie plant-feeding snb-gronps of this family, Fig. 41 a gives a magnified view of the beak of cm- insect seen fi-om below, and Fig. 41 c a similarly magnified view of that of a pla?\t-feeder belonging to the same family (Muschistuspunctipes, Say), which is so nearly of the same size, shape and color as our canni- bal friend, that at first sight many persons would mistake one for the other. The Spiued Soldier-bug, however, may be at once distin- guished from all
. The American entomologist. Entomology. THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 47 the difference between the beaks of the cannibal snb-group and tlie plant-feeding snb-gronps of this family, Fig. 41 a gives a magnified view of the beak of cm- insect seen fi-om below, and Fig. 41 c a similarly magnified view of that of a pla?\t-feeder belonging to the same family (Muschistuspunctipes, Say), which is so nearly of the same size, shape and color as our canni- bal friend, that at first sight many persons would mistake one for the other. The Spiued Soldier-bug, however, may be at once distin- guished from all allied bugs, whether plant- feeders or cannibals, by the opaque brown streak at the transparent and glassy tip of its wing- cases. Two years ago we were informed by our or- nithological friend. Dr. Velie, that a good obser- ver in Henry county. 111., had discovered that the large brown Squash-bug {Coi-ens tristis, DeGeer), depredated extensivel}' upon the larva .of the Colorado Potato-bug. Wc said at the time that tliis must be a mistake, because not a single species of tills group {C'oreus family) is known to be cannibal. "We can now understand "how the mistake arose. No less than five per- sons in South Illinois, to whom we showed a specimen of tlie Spined Soldier-bug, said at once: ""Wliy, that is nothing but a Squash- ; And yet in the eyes of an entomologist the Squash-bug looks as diflercnt from the Spined Soldier-bug as a cow does from a horse! That our readers may see the wide difference between the two insects, we give bj' the side of the wood-cut of the Spined Soldier-bug (Fig. 41 &) a correct drawing of the Squash-bug (Fig. 42 a), and of its beak (Fig. 42 b). The Spined Soldier-bug by no means pre\s exclusively upon Potato-bugs. "We have caught him in the spring of the year sucking the juices of a wild bee {Andrena) half an inch long, and carefully holding it out at arm's length all the time, so as to avoid its sting. He also atta
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, booksubjectentomology, bookyear1
