The Water Boatmen 



ate some once, but it was a stale museum specimen and had 

 anything but a pleasant taste. These Mexican species are im- 

 ported into England by the ton as food for game and song birds, 

 poultry and fish. Kirkaldy has computed that one ton contains 

 25,000,000 of these insects. 



According to Miall, Schmidt-Schwedt says that Corixa uses 

 its fore legs to play a tune on its snout, the note being tolerably 

 loud and sustained. They swim rapidly, their hind legs being 

 oar-like, and they are predatory in their habits, feeding upon 

 other aquatic animals. The beak is strong and sharp and they 

 can pierce the tough skin of one's finger. 



Active as these insects are in water they are slow and 

 clumsy on land but when their pools dry up they fly inland in 

 search of other water and are sometimes attracted to light at night. 

 About forty species occur in the United States, all belonging to 

 the genus Corixa. The full life history of none is known, and 

 an easily made aquarium study of any one of our common 

 species is greatly to be desired. 



Uhler says: "Few insects are more sprightly and the 

 aquarium acquires a new interest by the introduction of these 

 easily obtainable creatures." 



274 



