The larva and pupa of the Water-boatman resemble the perfect insect in habits as well as in form, excepting that the former has not even a vestige of wings, and the latter only exhibits them in their rudimentary form ; consequently they are unable to fly, and their whole life is passed in the water.

I he proboscis or beak, which is employed by the Waterboatman in draining its victims of their juices, is very strong

and sharp, and can be used as an instrument of defence at the will of the insect. If the Notonecta he seized carelessly, it will drive its beak into the hand, causing a sharp, smarting pain, which at the moment so closely resembles the sting of a wasp, that few persons can resist the instinctive action of dropping the insect. No real harm, however, can be done, and the pain goes off almost as rapidly as it was caused.

There are many species of Water-boatman, the insects being arranged in several genera ; but, as the form and habits of them all are very similar, there is no need for fm-ther description.

An allied group of insects is known by the generic name of Corixa. A magnified view of the commonest of these Waterboatmen is shown on Woodcut LXVIII. Its scientific name is Corixa Geoffroyi. In these insects the scutellum is not visible, because the thorax is prolonged over it. The fore-legs, although they are used for prehensile purposes, are not so entirely raptorial as those of the Notonectse, and the tarsus is composed of a single long pointed joint, fringed on the inner edge with stifi” bristles. The middle legs are slender, as are their claws, and the long hind legs have the two tarsal joints fringed, and are used for swimming. The body is much flattened above, and this peculiarity alone is sufScient to distinguish it from the Notonectse, with their boat-like backs. The beak is short but sharp, and can inflict a smart prick on the fingers if incautiously seized.

Mr. Westwood remarks that in the winter time he has seen great numbers of Corixse huddled together under the ice, most of them grasping each other with their legs. They appeared to be stupified with the cold, and to have no idea of devoming each other. species is blackish-brown, with a slight yellowish

The present the upper part of the thorax are a number of tinge. Upon spots, arranged in transverse rows, and somesmall yellowish running into each other, so as to produce the effect of times stripes. The head is yellow, and the eyes delicate, irregular and beak are black. If the elytra be examined with a tolerably glass, they will bo seen to be covered powerful magnifying with very fine hairs of a pale yellow tint.

Plate Xix. Aquatic Heteroptera.

lianatra linearis. 2. Notonecta glauca. o. Nepa cinerea.

I 'l. ANTS : — Duckweed (Lemna). On surface of water. erophyllu "Various-leaved Pondweed {Potamogeton he\ Stivrwort (^Aster ti'ipohuni).

n I

The insect is common in some places, and can be taken in

company witli tlie Notonecta as it darts through the water.

I have taken great numbers of them in the Swindon Eeservoir,

and, as far as I know, all my specimens were taken in that spot.

The next family is that of the Nepidse, popularly known as ATER-ScoRPiONS, of which we have but three British examples.

The best known of these insects is the common Water-

Scorpion, which is shown on Plate XIX. Fig. 3. Its scientific

name is Nejpa cinerea. The Xepidse may be easily known by

the flat and leaf-like body and the shape of the first pair of

legs, which are formed for seizing prey, their joints doubling

upon each other as the blade of a clasp-knife is doubled into

its handle. The other two pairs of legs are formed for walking. In some of the species, the end of the tail is furnished

with two long, slender, bristle-like filaments, which look very

much bke an apparatus of offence. They are, however, adjuncts

to the respiratory system, and serve to conduct the air to the

spiracles while the body is submerged. In these insects the

spiracles are placed quite at the end of the body, those of the

sides being only indicated by rudimentary marks. In the

larval state these filaments are represented by a single sharp

point. I Unlike the quick, dashing, and wary Water-boatman, it is a I slow, crawling, inactive insect, and, if seen creeping among I the plants near the water side, can be picked up with the P fingers ; indeed, it is so very sluggish in its movements that, iji as it is predacious in its habits, and depends for its food on

the capture of other inhabitants of the water, it seems hardly I capable of gaining a subsistence. There is, however, but little t difficulty in this respect. The Water-scorpion lies quietly ^ among the aquatic plants until some luckless insect comes by,

when, with a rapid clutch of its fore-legs, the victim is It captured, and held tightly until its juices have been extracted. ? When in the water, the insect looks so exactly like a small i dead leaf, that the quickest eye might fail to discern it as long ‘4 as it did not move. It is probably on account of this re- >t semblance to a leaf that the Water-scorpion is able to secure ^ its prey, which consists mostly of the larvae of aquatic insects, fc such as the Mayfly and Whirlwig beetle.

The eggs of this insect are of a most singular shape, the base of each being furnished with seven horn-like projections, arranged in a circle. Before the eggs are laid, the horns of one egg act as a cup, into which the end of the next egg is received ; but when they are deposited, the horns bend backwards, so as to form a circle of hooks aroirnd the upper end of the egg.

As is the case with all the British Nepidas, the colour of the Water-scorpion is dull brown. When, however, the elytra are opened, the upper part of the body is seen to be of a brick-red, which also tinges strongly the base of the wings.

Theue is a closely allied insect, called scientifically Ranatra linearis, which resembles the Water-scorpion in many particulars. This insect is shown on Plate XIX. Fig. 1.

This is more active than the preceding insect, and uses its fore-legs in a most wonderfully skilful manner. With these legs it seizes its prey, which consists mostly of aquatic insects ; but the Eanatra is not very particular, and will attack anything, so that it be alive. The larvae of the Mayfly are its favourite food, but I have seen it eat various other creatures, especially the freshwater Crustacea. It is really a fierce being, and, if attacked, has no idea of flight, but boldly assumes the offensive. I have seen one of these insects fight a piece of stick in a most determined manner, striking at it fiercely with its long fore-legs. When so acting, it has a most formidable aspect, as may be seen by reference to the illustration.

The wings of the Eanatra are packed away very neatly, but are quite large enough to bear their owner through the air. •Mr. Westwood mentions that he has seen the Eanatra alight in a pond, and have great difficulty in forcing itself beneath the surface of the water, on account of the dryness of the two bristle-like appendages of the tail.

The last British species of this family is called Naucoris cimicoides, and is easily distinguished by possessing no filaments at the end of the tail. The body is not so flat as that of the Water Scorpion, and the hind legs are formed for swimming. It is very much more active than either ot the pieceding insects, and in the water looks so like the ater-boatinan that it might easily be mistaken for that insect. The fore-legs are

raptorial, and the thighs are extremely large and powerful. I have taken great numbers of this insect in the Swindon Eeservoir, and been made practically acquainted with the power of the beak and its capability of piercing the human hand. The beak, though it be short, is very strong and very sharply pointed ; and when the insect is at rest, the end of the beak exactly reaches to the base of the fore-legs.

Aphaniptera.

-,K V.-, Tta

A X i . J ^ J .ri

lilT-II A <

Aphaniptera.

CHAPTER I.

Fvlicid/E, Or Fleas.

The rather long word with which this chapter is headed is formed from the Grreek, and signifies ‘ Non-appearing Wings.’ This name is given to the insect because the wings are not visible to ordinary observation, being merely represented by four very minute scales on the thorax, the upper two of which are the rudiments of the first pair of wings, and the lower of the second pair. Popularly, they are known as Fleas, and are rather more familiar to us than agreeable.

When placed under the microscope, the Flea really becomes an interesting insect, with some share of beauty about it. The body is rather narrowed, or ‘ compressed,’ as is the correct term; it is covered with a very hard, shining, horny skin, on which are rows of short and sharp bristles, having their ,points directed backwards. It is owing to these bristles and the projecting edges of the horny segments, that to hold a Flea in the fingers is so difficult a task. By means of its ■powerful limbs, the insect forces itself through the fingers a veiy little at a time ; but, howevei’ short may be the progress at each struggle, it is still a step towdrds freedom, for the bristly rings very effectually prevent it from being forced back into ■the position from which it had escaped.

The hind legs are formed for leaping, and it is by their means ' •that the insect takes such prodigious jumps. It can crawl as well as leap, and indeed, does crawl by preference, only 'jumping when it thinks itself in danger.

The beak, or rostrum (called a rostndum by Kirby and

Spence), is exceedingly complicated, but is formed of modifica- j tions of parts of the mouth which already existed, and not of j entirely new organs. Indeed, like the beak of the suctorial j Heteroptera, the beak is formed of the lips and jaws, which are modified so as to suit the wants of the insect. These organs, though similar in character, vary much in form in the different LAIX

PulextalpsB. 2. Pulexirritans. 3. Culex pipiens, male. a. Pnlex talpee, mcntnm and palpi. &. Do., side view of head. c. Do., palpus. d. Do., tarsus. e. Pulex irritans, pupa. /. Do., mentum and palpi. g. Culex pipiens, male, palpus. A. Do., antenna.

species, as may be seen by reference to Woodcut LXIX. Figs. and /, of which the former represents the mouth of the male Flea, and the latter that of the common Flea.

The transformations of this insect are worthy of some notice. The female Flea lays a very few eggs, seldom more than twelve in number, and deposits them in any convenient spot. Hearth- . favourite resting-places for these eggs, and so are the rugs are little crevices in the floor or walls in which the adult insects

hide themselves during the day-time. In due course of time these eggs are hatched, and produce larvae in the shape of tiny white grubs. These larvae are entirely without feet, but push themselves along by means of the hairs which are attached to the segments of the body. The last segment has two little hooks, the use of which is rather obscure. Perhaps they may be used in order to afford a fulcrum by which the body can be retracted, just as the stiff hairs afford points by which the creature can be urged forward.

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