202 HEMIPTERA. 



Family II. — Coi-eidce. 



Sciitellum rather small, triangular ; antennae generally four- 

 jointed, last joint large, long, or flattened, and inserted above or upon 

 an imaginary line drawn from the eyes to the base of the rostrum ; 

 ocelli present ; membranous part of the elytra with more than five 

 nervures. 



This family includes a number of plant-feeding native and 

 exotic species, varying considerably in shape and structure. 

 Menenotus Cornutus, Pert., is a curious Brazilian species. It is 

 about an inch long, and is of a light brown ; the elytra are 

 yellowish. The sides of the thorax project in front almost like 

 a pair of horns. Machtima Crucigera, Linn., is another rather 

 smaller Brazilian insect. It is black, with four yellow longitudinal 

 lines on the prothorax, and two lines of the same colour forming 

 a cross on the closed fore wings. 



The genus Neides, Latr., includes small yellowish or broAvnish 

 species, several of which are common in Northern Europe ; they 

 are remarkable for their very slender form ; the genus Phyllo- 

 morpha, Lap., however, is very broad, and is remarkable for its 

 curious resemblance to a leaf. A few species are found in the 

 south of Europe, but others inhabit warmer countries. 



Family III. — Lygceidce. 



Scutellum short ; antennae four-jointed, inserted beloAv an 

 imaginary line drawn from the eyes to the base of the rostrum ; 

 ocelli present ; membranous part of the elytra never with more 

 than five nervures. 



The species of this family are nearly all vegetable-feeders, and 

 are generally of a red, black, or yellow colour. In many species 

 both of this and of some other families of Hemiptera Hetenyptem 

 there are two forms of imago, called the macropterous and micro- 

 pterous forms. In the first the wings are fully developed, and in 

 the second they are rudimentary or absent. 



Several species are very injurious to cultivated plants. One of 

 the most destructive of all is Blissus Lnicopterus, Say, a black 

 insect with white fore wings, each of which is marked with a large 

 black triangular spot on the outer edge ; it measures about an 

 eighth of an inch in length. The young larva is red. This insect 

 is called the Chinch Bug in the United States, where it sometime.* 



