402 THE NUDIROSTRIA. 



of an inch in length, and is of a uniform dark brown 

 or black colour. It is of an elongated form, with 

 long powerful legs and well- developed wings, upon 

 which it flies about during the warm summer nights, 

 and often comes into houses, attracted by the lights. 

 Its head, which is rather small, is separated from the 

 thorax by a very distinct neck ; and the rostrum is 

 thick and short, its tip reaching only to the front of 

 the breast. It is, however, an exceedingly powerful 

 organ ; the insects wounded by it very soon die, and 

 the bite of this insect is exceedingly painful even to 

 man. To make up for this, however, the Reduvius is 

 said to be one of the greatest enemies of the Bed-bug, 

 and in France and some parts of this country it is 

 said to frequent the houses in search of this delectable 

 food ; the larva also is described as living in the dusty 

 corners of rooms and disguising himself by a covering 

 of his own excrement mixed with dust, so as to de- 

 ceive the insects upon which he preys. 



We possess several smaller species nearly allied to 

 this, some of which are partially apterous, whilst 

 others have fully- developed mugs. They are all 

 found amongst herbage or upon trees towards the end 

 of the summer and in the autumn. The commonest 

 belong to the genus Nabis, in one abundant species 

 of which {N.fera)j which is commonly found amongst 

 grass, the body is much elongated, resembling that of 

 a Miris, and the hemelytra pass the extremity of the 

 abdomen ; whilst in the others these organs do not 

 reach the apex of the body, and the general form of 

 the insect is broader, especially behind. The most 

 beautiful British species of the whole tribe is the 

 Prostemma guttula, in w^hich, however, the hemelytra 

 are never fully developed in this country. It mea- 



