474 FOBTT-EIGHTH KEPOBT ON THE STATE MUSEUM 



Habitat an<l Appearance. 

 The moist shady swamps are the delight of this insect. In such 

 places they may be seen flitting from branch to branch, during July 

 and early August, rarely retaining one position more than ten minutes. 

 Their manner of flight and general appearance resembles that of the 

 Tipulae which abound in the same places, but they never alight vpon 

 a leaf or branch of any kind; they suspend themselves by the long 

 slender fore limbs (PI, iv, fig. 1), not infrequently using the middle 

 pair of limbs also.* The limbs of Bittacus are totally unfitted for sup- 

 porting the owner in the position most insects assume when at rest. 

 On aflat surface it is nearly helpless; its long legs become entangled, or 

 if several are in a bottle, a snarled mass of legs with here and there a 

 body is the result — it cannot even stand on its legs. In their sus- 

 pended position the fore limbs are bert so as to elevate the head above 

 the fore femora, thus afl'ording an uninterrupted view. The head is 

 extended forward, while the slender beak inclines a little from the 

 horizontal. The diverging antennae curve gracefully backwards. The 

 wings droop beside the body and cover the abdomen. One leg or the 

 two of the middle pair not used in supporting the insect, extend at an 

 oblique angle from the body. The hind femora are nearly vertical, 

 the tibipe incline forward, while the tarsi hang in a peculiar drooping 

 curve. The general appearance of the insect in this position is not 

 very unlike a bit of dried, dangling foliage. 



Method of Capturing Prey. 

 The position appears restful and one might almost think the insect 

 asleep. It is very far from that, as many a small insect could testify, 

 were it still alive. The small fly that ventures within reach of the long, 

 dangling legs imperils its life. In a second those well-armed tarsi (PL iv, 

 fig. 2) seize the unfortunate, the fourth and fifth segments of the tarsus 

 shutting together like the jaws of a trap (shown at a) — the teeth upon 

 their apposing surfaces (shown at h andc) ; and also the large spines on the 

 second and third segments, especially of the hind leg (shown in outline 

 at d and e). The struggle is usually short; two, three, or four of those 

 long legs lay hold of the captive and soon bring it within reach of the 

 sharp beak. It is only a minute's work to pierce a soft part of the 

 body and suck the victim's blood, when the lifeless remains are dropped 

 to the ground and the insatiate insect is ready for the next. If a large 



• Baron Osten-Sacben has contributed an interesting observation upon the habits of B. 

 apterus. The insect is not rare in open grassy places in parts of California and it '" replaces 

 the want of wings by a great dexterity in climbing, swinging itself, monkey-like, from halm 

 to halm, often suspended only by the front larsl." One was observed devouring a Tipula.— 

 C. V. RiLKY, in Am. Naf., July, 1882, pp. 596-t9r. 



