392 THE SUPERICORNIA. 



allied species are often found in the same situations^ 

 namely, the Verlusia rhombea, in which the dilated 

 margins of the abdomen are angulated, and a single 

 spine projects from the front of the head between 

 the antennae ; and the Coreus scapha, in which the 

 abdomen is oval, and the little points at the base of 

 the antennse are placed on the outside of the insertion 

 of those organs. 



In the genera Chorosoma and Berytus, the body is 

 elongated and the antennae and legs very slender; 

 in the latter genus the thighs and the first joint of 

 the antennse are considerably thickened at the tips, 

 and the last joint of the antennse is short and thick. 

 These are sluggish creatures, which crawl slowly 

 over the grass and other plants upon which they are 

 found, whilst most of the insects of the tribe are very 

 active, and fly freely in the sunshine, especially when 

 disturbed. 



The nearest approach to the next tribe is formed 

 by the genus Rhopalus, which includes a good many 

 small species, distinguished by the possession of a 

 broad triangular head, with prominent eyes, by the 

 shortness of the first joint of the antennse, which does 

 not equal the head in length, and the presence in the 

 membrane of the hemelytra of a smaller number of 

 nervures than is found in the other members of the 

 group. One of the commonest of these is the Rhopalus 

 Hyoscyami, which is found upon various plants, but 

 especially, as its specific name implies, upon the Hen- 

 bane. It is a pretty little insect, about a third of an 

 inch in length, of a bright red colour, with the legs 

 and antennse, a spot on each side of the head, the an- 

 terior margin of the prothorax, and two patches on 

 its liinder margin, the base of the scutellum and two 



