62 



THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



seen trom the accompanying figures (3, 4 and 5), but his surmise as to 

 the manner of their employment is ambiguous in form, because under it 



Fig. ,;. — Rhagfovelia obesa, Uhler. Third joint of inter- 

 mediate tarsus, showing cleft and swimming 

 hairs, x lo. (Original.) 



Flf;. 4. — Rhagovelia obesa, Uhler. Tarsus of intermediate, showing 

 ciliated swimining hairs spread. Side view, x lo. (Original.) 



Fiu. 5. — Rhagovelia obesa, Uhler. Ciliated hair from intermediate 

 tarsus. X 82. (Original.) 



one may conclude that they are spread out uJ>o>/ the sui-face to support 

 the bug, or else that they are employed in propelling the insect when 

 moving about on the surface. At any rate, he merely states an 

 hypothesis in vague terms, based on the appearance of the structures and 

 in the absence of direct observations. The abundance of Rhagovelia 

 obesa about New York has made it possible to study the living Hemip- 

 .teron on a number of individuals I secured for that purpose. I had over 

 twenty living specimens in an aquarium this past summer (1906), under 

 close observation, and the following notes are taken from my field-book, 

 i-n which I noted the behaviour of the living bugs as I watched them. 



