BUGS. 201 



This extensive family includes the greater proportion of the 

 lai'gest and handsomest species of the Land Bugs. The typical 

 Scutellericlce, or Shield Bugs, most of which are tropical, are not 

 unlike beetles, the wings being entirely covered by the enormous 

 convex scutellum, which is sometimes black or brown, but is often 

 red or of a brilliant green, spotted with black, and resembles the 

 closed elytra of a beetle. 



The name Pentatomidm, which is sometimes employed instead 

 of Scutellericlce, is inapplicable, as many genera of this family have 

 four-jointed instead of five-jointed antennae. 



One of the handsomest representatives of the typical Scutellericlce 

 found in Europe is GrapJiosoma Lineatum, Linn. It measures nearly 

 half an inch in length, and is red, with six longitudinal black lines 

 on the prothorax, and four on the scutellum ; it is common on 

 flowers, especially Umhelliferex, in the south of Europe, and is some- 

 times met with as far north as Paris. 



In Pentatoma and its allies the scutellum is much less deve- 

 loped than in the insects which Ave have just been considering. 

 This section of the family is numerous in all parts of the world, 

 and is much better represented in Europe than the former group. 

 The species live on plants, but will also suck the juices of the 

 many defenceless insects which are exposed to their attacks. 

 Many of the European and exotic species are of a bright apple- 

 green, and the latter are not un frequently adorned with a long 

 thick spike projecting at a right angle from each shoulder, as 

 in Edessa, etc. One of the commonest species in China is 

 Tessaratoma Papillosa, Dru., a light-brown insect about an inch 

 long, which forms a very large proportion of the contents of all 

 boxes sent by unscientific collectors from that country. Its 

 curious flat, yellowish, or reddish larva is likewise coniinou in 

 such collections. 



Perhaps the most beautiful species of this section of the family 

 are those forming the genus Catcicanthus, Spin., which are natives 

 of the Eastern Archipelago. One species (C Firidissimus, Dist.), 

 from the Tonga Islands, is almost entirely green ; its larva is 

 yellowish, with the centre more or less filled up with rich purplish 

 blue. C. Jurantius, Sulz., and Incarnci.tas, Dru., from Java, etc., are 

 much commoner in collections ; they are red or orange, with a large 

 black spot on each elytron, and smaller ones elsewhere. The name 

 of the genus is derived from the short strong projection directed 

 forwards from the under surface of the base of the abdomen. 



