30 MARSH-TREADERS. 
FAMILY LIMNOBATIDAE. 
(Marsh-treaders). 
Only a single species is found in the United States. It is 
not often seen, as it is small, dull brown, and has very quiet 
habits. Its body is remarkably elongated, almost linear; the 
long legs are suited for walking slowly over the surface of the 
water. The head is cylindrical, longer than the thorax; the 
round and projecting eyes are placed a little nearer the base 
than the tip of the head. All the motions of these insects are 
deliberate, and they creep but slowly over the surface of mud 
and water, in places where plants are numerous, or where they ~ 
have to climb over projecting water-plants; they carry the body 
Fic. 22.—Limnobates lineata Say. After Comstock. 
considerably elevated. ‘“‘They delight to remain at rest, with 
perhaps a single claw hooked to some projecting object. When 
disturbed they move very slowly, and seem disposed to save 
themselves rather by concealment among rubbish and tangled 
growths than by active movements. The young forms are so 
very slender that they can only be detected with great difficulty 
in the places to which they resort.” (Uhler.) Limnobates lineata 
Say, illustrated in Fig. 22, is less than one-half an inch in length; 
its legs and feelers are very slender, almost hair-like. It is 
fuscous, with dusky hemelytra, which have fuscous veins. Both 
color and markings vary greatly. It may be found by search- 
