32 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I4I 



behaved just as the one I obtained in Chota, Nagpur, did [Annandale, 

 1906]. The winged specimen was under a stone at the edge of the 

 stream, but swam readily. It did not seem so much at home in the 

 water, however, and apparently could not, owing to the wings, raise 

 the tip of its abdomen above the surface." (Shelford, 1909a.) 



Epilampra sp. 



Siamese Malay States. — Wingless females rested on floating logs 

 from which they would dive into the water upon the least disturbance ; 

 they remained under water for several minutes, then surfaced beneath 

 the shelter of the log. In the jungle all females were taken either in 

 the water or among matted roots on the sides of the stream. Winged 

 males were seen rising from the surface of the water (Annandale, 

 1900). 



Sarawak. — All specimens were immature; they swam and dived 

 well, but were soon drowned if prevented from rising to the surface 

 to breathe. "When at rest the body of the cockroach is almost entirely 

 submerged, the tip of the abdomen alone projecting above the sur- 

 face of the water ; the abdomen moves gently up and down and every 

 30-40 seconds a bubble of air issues from the prothoracic spiracle on 

 each side." (Shelford, 1901, 1916.) 



India. — A nymphal female, found in a jungle stream at Chota 

 Nagpur, could swim with belly or back upward. When held under 

 water it drowned in a few minutes. The tip of the abdomen was held 

 out of water (Annandale, 1906). 



Shelford (1907) has suggested that the immature stages of terres- 

 trial species of Epilampra may well be amphibious. This is an area 

 that could profit by more field observations. 



Opisthoplatia maculata 



Formosa. — Invariably found under or between rocks near moun- 

 tain streams. The wingless adult and the nymph have similar habits. 

 Normally the cockroach lives on land, and when it goes into the water 

 it returns to land within a few minutes. This cockroach rarely swims, 

 but when it does, it maintains its body in a horizontal position just 

 below the surface of the water. Ordinarily, it walks on the river 

 bottom or on water-covered rocks. This insect feeds on decayed leaves 

 and, according to Shikano, it will eat human feces. (Takahashi, 1926.) 



This species has a large number of long hydrophobic hairs on the 

 ventral sides of the thorax and anterior abdominal segments. When 

 the insect submerges, air is trapped in these hairs. The thoracic and 



