154 THE UNIVERSITY SCIENCE BULLETIN. 



Montandon says that R. annulipes is synonymous with R. fabHcii 

 Guer, overlooking the dates in the matter. However, as the writer stated 

 in the beginning, the responsibility for these matters rests with Van 

 Duzee whom he has faithfully followed. 



Ranatra americana is the commonest one of these insects in the 

 United States, says Montandon. In spite of the careful notes of com- 

 parison made by the above-named writer, it is not possible to prepare a 

 satisfactory key without carefully examining much material. The writer 

 would refer his Ranatras to Bueno for determination. 



Ranatra fusca. P. B. 1805. 



Palisot-Beauvois, Ins. Rec. Afr. Am., p. 235. 



"Greenish fuscous, setae shorter than the body, wings reddish fuscous." 

 Bueno says this latter character is quite noticeable and adds "that the 

 anterior femora are narrow, smooth, save for the middle tooth; that 

 R. fvsca can further be differentiated from R. quadridentata by the much 

 longer legs, the tarsal claws reaching nearly to the extremity of the air 

 tube and the extremities of the femora of the third pair of legs attaining 

 to the end of thie penultimate abdominal segments; by the prominent 

 eyes; by the prothorax being slimmer and longer and unisulcate beneath. 



Ranatra kirkaldyi Bueno 1905. 



Bueno, Can. Ent., XXXVII, p. 187. 



"Abdominis dorsum orange brown; eyes small, not very prominent; 

 prothorax much constricted at the middle, bisulcate beneath; wings 

 smoky; anterior femora bi-oad, with a prominent tooth near the middle, 

 otherwise smooth; posterior tarsi extending beyond the middle of the air 

 tube; air tube shorter than the length of the abdomen; legs banded; 

 length from tip of abdomen to tip of rostrum, male 23 mm.; 26.4 mm.; 

 female, 27-31 mm." 



Ranatra nigra H. S. 1853. 



Herri ch-Schseffer, Wanz., Ins. IX, p. 32. 1853. 

 Montandon, Bui. Soc. Sci. Bucarest, XIX, p. 64. 1910. 



Montandon makes the following remarks regarding this species: 



"Size almost of R. linearis; darker; eyes no larger but more project- 

 ing; vertex broader; structure of thorax and length of legs as in R. 

 elongata. I know of no North American species with legs as developed as 

 those of R. elongata Fabr. The posterior femora of which extend back- 

 ward plainly surpassing the last abdominal suture." 



He concludes that it could not be confused with other species of North 

 America. 



Ranatra americana Montd. 1910. 



Montandon, Bui. Soc. Sci. Bucarest, XIX, p. 65. 



"This is the species most common and widespread in a great part of 

 North America, at least in the east and southern part of the United 

 States. My collection possesses examples from Lowell, Mass., Pittsburgh, 

 Pa., Long Island, N. Y., Lake Forest, 111., and Florida. It has been 

 confused probablv by the maiority of authors with R. quadridentata 

 Stal., with which it differs in the size, being a little more robust (forte), 

 in the form of the eyes, which are a little larger, more promment and 

 plainly transverse, as broad as the interocular space, which is also 



