72 HANDBOOK OF ANTS, BEB:S, ETC. 



always appear to have been an inhabitant of these islands, but to 

 have made its way here about the beginning of the sixteenth 

 century. Three other British species have been described as 

 inhabiting the dwelling-places of certain animals and sucking their 

 blood. A. columbaria attacks pigeons. A. Jiirimdinis is found 

 in swallows' nests, and A. pipist}'elU feeds on bats. 



Fajuily 8, Reduviidce. — All the insects of this family are preda- 

 ceous in their habits, and are exceedingly numerous in tropical 

 climates. The largest British species is Reduvius perso7mti4s, an 

 insect about three-quarters of an inch long, of a blackish-brown 



Fig. 90. — Acanthaspis Sexguttata 



colour with reddish legs. It is well furnished with wings, and 

 flies especially in warm summer evenings, when it frequently enters 

 houses, being attracted by the lights. This insect is said to be a 

 great enemy to the bed bug. 



Some of the foreign species of Reduviidce, are most formidable 

 insects, such as the great black Conorrhmus renggeri of Chili, 

 which often attacks travellers when camping out. 



Family 9, Emesidce. — Most of these insects are carnivorous in 

 their habits. The best known species of this family is probably 

 Plcearia vagabu7ida, a brown, delicately-formed insect, which 

 inhabits trees. 



Tribe II. — Hydrocores or Water Bugs. 



All the insects belonging to this tribe are either water insects, 

 or found only in the immediate neighbourhood of water. It 

 contains the remaining families of the Heteroptera^ six in number. 



family 10, Saldidce. — The majority of species belonging to this 



