r34 TRUE TALES OF THE INSECTS. 



reaching to, or beyond, the extremity of the body. In 

 our British species this hood does not greatly modify 

 the appearance of the insect, but in many exotic species, 

 as in Xerophyllum, it assumes a grotesque form, so that 

 the insects have no longer the appearance of Orthoptera, 

 and when the genus Xerophyllum was for the first time 

 described, it was mistaken for a buo-. There is an 

 immense variety of forms of this extraordinary pro- 

 thoracic expansion. The odd Cladonotiis Juimbcrtianus 

 is a native of Ceylon, where it frequents sandy meadows 

 after the fashion of our indigenous species of Tettix. 

 Strange to say, some of these curious Tettigides, of the 

 genus Scelimena, are amphibious in habit. They live 

 on the borders of streams and ponds, and frequently 

 dash on the water, and leap on their hind legs and 

 flutter with their wings. In this way they strike the 

 water without getting very wet ; nor do they fear to 

 enter the water, and leap about there ; indeed it is said 

 they prefer submerged plants as food. This singular 

 habit has been observed in Ceylon and the Himalayas. 

 The species have the hind legs provided with foliaceous 

 dilatations probably suitable for swimming. These 

 insects also frequent the little streams of water which 

 trickle along the rocks, being often found clinging to a 

 rock entirely immersed, as though they were enjoying 

 a bath. 



The tribe Pneumorides includes a small number of 



