REPORT ON THE PELAGIC HEMIPTERA. 43 



to wing-net, I did not find them common, and never observed any movement after capture, 

 owing to their delicate soft bodies being injured by the passage of water and other things 

 through tlie net." 



2. Halobates micans, Esch. (PI. I. fig. 2). 



Halohates micans, Esch., Eiitomograpliien, i. p. 107, No. 786, Taf. ii. fig. 3, 1822. 



Burmeister, Handbucli der Entomologie, vol. ii. p. 208, No. 1, 1835. 

 Blanchard, Hist. Natur. des Insectes, vol. iii. p. 98, No. 1, 1840. 

 Hemoh-Schaffer, Die wanzenartigen Insecten, vol. viii. p. 110, 1848. 

 Frauenfeld, Verhandl. der k. k. zool. bot. GeseUsch. in Wieu, p. 458, Taf. 

 xii. fig. 5, 18<37. 



Widely oval, widest behind the middle. Hoary ash grey, lighter below. Antennae 

 and legs black, front femora bluish. Antennae with second and third joints equal in length. 

 $ . Length 4, breadth 2 '2 5, middle femur 4 "6 mm. 



Habitat. — Reported by Eschscholtz from the South Pacific and South Atlantic Oceans, 

 and by Frauenfeld from the Indian Ocean, near Ceylon (lat. 3° N.). 



I have not seen this species, and the above diagnosis and the following description 

 are drawn up from the writings of Eschscholtz and Frauenfeld. Both these writers say 

 that they have seen males only, but they confused the sexes — Eschscholtz's figure re- 

 presenting a female. 



? . Closely allied to Halohates tviillerstorjfi. AVidely oval or conical. Hoary ash 

 grey or blackish-grey, somewhat shining, brighter coloured below. With (according to 

 Eschscholtz) brassy reflections, which, however, Frauenfeld denies. Eyes black. An- 

 tennae and legs black, the front femora bluish. Abdomen whitish-grey. Antennae 

 (PL I. fig. 2, a.) rather slender, rather longer than half the body, first joint as long as 

 the other three together ; second and third equal in length ; fourth joint longer than the 

 third. Pronotum strongly concave in front, nearly straight behind ; disk with two 

 rather long foveas anteriorly. Mesonotum strongly convex anteriorly. 



According to Frauenfeld, micans difiers from imillerstorffl in the slenderer antennae, 

 with longer first joint, and second and third joints equal in length ; legs more slender, 

 and, except the front femora, without any bluish tinge. 



Dr. Rogenhofer kindly measured, at my request, some of Frauenfeld's sj^ecimens in 

 the Vienna Museum, and states the proportions of the joints of the tarsi to be as follows : 

 — First joint of front tarsus very little shorter than the second joint ; middle tarsus one- 

 sixth shorter than the middle tibia ; first joint of middle tarsus less than three times the 

 length of the second. 



As Frauenfeld was acquainted with both species, there can be no doubt that 

 micans exists as a species distinct from ivilUerstorffi, but whether all the specimens that 



