HEMIPTERA. 133 



many of them the female fastens her eggs on the top of her 

 own back with a thin layer of waterproof glue which she 

 secretes for this purpose. 



Family NAUCORiDyE (Nau-cor'i-dae). 

 The Creeping Water-bugs. 



This is a small family containing water-bugs of a moder- 

 ate size, in which the front legs are fitted for grasping and 

 the middle and hind legs for walking. They are flat-bodied, 

 chiefly oval insects, and without appendages at the hind end 

 of the body. 



The members of this family are predaceous ; and, accord- 

 ing to Professor Uhler, they are fond of reedy and grassy, 

 quiet waters, where they creep about like the Predaceous 

 Diving-beetles, creeping and half swimming around and be- 

 tween the leaves and sprays of the submerged plants, and 

 suddenly seizing any unlucky water-boatman or other insect 

 that happens to be within reach. 



Figure 153 represents Pelocoris femorata (Pe-loc'o-ris 

 fem-o-ra'ta), the only species found in the States on 

 the Atlantic coast. Several other species are found 

 in the Western States. These belong to the genus 

 Ambry sus (Am-bry'sus), which differs from Pelocoris 

 in having the front margin of the prothorax very deeply 

 sinuate. 



Family GALGULID^: (Gal-gu'li-dse). 

 The Toad-shaped Bugs. 



There is sometimes found on the muddy margins of 

 streams or in marshes, where the soil is moist, a curious bug, 

 which on account of its short and broad body and projecting 

 eyes reminds one of a toad ; this is Galgulus oculatus (Gal'gu- 



