Order HEM1PTERA. 



These are the true "bugs," or "half-winged" insects so termed, because 

 the fore-wings have the base thickened and the tips membraneous. The 

 same character also gives them the name Heteroptera or different 

 winged, and not infrequently the two are combined into Hemiptera- 

 Heteropteia as against the Hemiptera-Homoptera. In this series the 

 beak is always more free and the head more mobile than in the Homop- 

 tera, and in many cases the beak can be projected straight forward like 

 a snout. The number of visible joints in the rostrum varies, the ap- 

 parently three-jointed forms with short, thick rostrse, being usually preda- 

 tory, while those which have it four-jointed, long and slender, are more 

 generally plant feeders, but there are numerous exceptions. The trans- 

 formations are always incomplete and feeding is always done, in all 

 stages, by piercing and sucking, whether of plant or animal tissues. In 

 the species in which the beak is long and four-jointed it often bends in 

 the middle when the insect is feeding, the lancets only being inserted 

 and the terminal joint of the beak serving to steady and guide. Many 

 injurious and some destructive species are found in this order in which, 

 by the bye, many have peculiar and disagreeable odors. 



Since the publication of the last edition our knowledge of this order 

 has increased greatly and the classification has been materially changed, 

 while still greater modifications are proposed. Mr. J. R. de la Torre 

 Bueno, who is one of the younger students, has very kindly suggested 

 the present arrangement along very conservative lines, and he has added 

 much information and many records to the list. In fact, as it stands, 

 it is really his list with other records added, except in the Capsidse, or, 

 as they are known, the Miridas, in which Mr. Otto Heidemann has again 

 arranged the series for me. Mr. H. G. Barber, of Roselle Park, New Jer- 

 sey, has also been good enough to look over the list critically, and he 

 has corrected many of the Paulmier records of the previous edition, the 

 collection of that gentleman having come into Mr. Barber's hands after 

 the death of its maker. 



Quite a number of Uhler manuscript names have been omitted, and, 

 although over 100 names have been added, the number of species not 

 authenticated by actual records is lessened rather than increased. About 

 400 species are here listed. Mr. Bueno thinks that at least 500 occur in 

 the State, and this leaves plenty of opportunity for additional work by 

 collectors. 



