Marvels of Insect Life. 



the bugs have their mouth- 

 parts designed not for cutting 

 soHds, but solely for imbibing 

 fluids — the sap of plants or the 

 blood of animals. This beak 

 consists of a long, jointed 

 sheath, grooved along its inner 

 face, and believed to be com- 

 posed of the modified upper 

 and lower lips. When not in use 

 it folds out of the wav bv lying 

 close against the under side of 

 the body. Within this grooved 

 sheath lie four fine bristles 

 which can be lengthened or 

 shortened. Two of these four 

 bristles are barbed at the point. 

 In some species the sheath 

 appears to make an incision in 

 the skin of the animal victim, 

 but in most cases, at least of 

 the plant-suckers, its tip is 

 believed to be merely brought 

 in contact with the spot to be 

 tapped and then the bristles 

 penetrate the surface. The 

 secretion of the salivary glands 

 is then passed down the sheath, 

 which has the effect of thinning the fluid to be imbibed b\' the Insect, and so reduced 

 it mounts by capillary attraction between the bristles to the closed mouth. This 

 appears to be the method by which the diverse forms of bugs obtain their 

 nourishment. 



The bugs are nominally all four-winged Insects, but, as in other families, tlu're 

 are species in which for reasons connected with their habits the wings are not 

 developed. According to the character of the wings the bugs have been divided 

 into two sub-orders. In the first of these, or true bugs,i the front jxiir differ from 

 the hind pair in having the basal half of their area of a thicker, more horny character 

 than the apical half. When the wings are closed at rest these thinner portions 

 overlap. In the second sub-order,- which includes the cicadas, th(> ]ilant-lice, 

 and the scale-Insects, there is more uniformity in the consistence of the front wings, 

 which arc not laid flat on the back, but form more or less of a ridge above it from 

 which they slope over the sides of the body. In both sub-orders there is little 

 change of form apart from the acquisition of wings, which are gradually developed 

 outside the body. 



One of the characteristics of the race is such as to force itself upon the attention 

 ^ Hemiptera-heteroptera. ^ Hemiptera-homoptera. 



Photo hy\ 



Leaf-legged Bug. 



\_H. Bastm. 



\ plant-bug of remarkable design from South America. The very long and slender 

 hind-legs spread out at the top of the shank into prettily-coloured leaf-like giowths, 

 which must tend to disguise its true nature when seen upon foliage. 



