196 KEDCTIID.E. 



Family REDUVIID.E. 



Head more or less elongate, mobile ; eyes usually well separated 

 from the anterior margin of the pronotum, except in the iXabidinae, 

 in several genera of which the head is immersed to the eyes ; rostrum 

 usually stout, bent or curved at base so that in repose it does not 

 lie against the under sui'face of the head * ; the rostrum is thi*ee- 

 jointed, except in the subfamily Xabidiuse, in which it consists of 

 four joints. 



Dr. Sharp writing in 1S99 estimated that upwards of 2000 

 species were then known, and, as he i*emarks, their •' habits 

 seem to be chiefly of a predaceous natui'e, the creatures drawing 

 their nutriment frou> the animal rather than from the vegetable 

 kingdom, and their chief prey being in all probability other kinds 

 of insects." Mr. E. M. Dixon of Bombay, however, who has paid 

 considerable attention to these Ehynchota in his district, where he 

 states they are usually nocturnal in habits, writes thus to me : — 

 " They feed chiefly on the mucilaginous juices ot plants. The 

 sharp needle-like rostrum of the insect seems to fulfil a very 

 important bionomic function. It generally pierces the inner bark 

 of a plant and discharges into the wound an acrid poisonous fluid, 

 which rarefies the mucilaginous sap and helps the setse to suck the 

 juice \vith ease and convenience, evidently doing no harm to the 

 plant, but, on the contrary, promoting the exudation of the valuable 

 sap. Hence there is reason to believe that the gums, resins, and 

 other resinous vegetable products of commercial value depend 

 largely on the punctures made by the Eeduviids. The blood- 

 sucking propensities of some of the species are, I believe, due to a 

 habit acquired probably for purposes of self-defence." 



The eggs of some species of this family bear a peculiar opercidum, 

 and afford a subject for special investigation. 



Sf/dojisis of Suhfamilies. 



1. Eostrum three-jointed. 



A. Anterior coxae much elongated, reaching 



or passing apex of head Emesince. t'-^"* 



B. Anterior coxae not more than twice or 



three times longer than broad, 

 a. Ocelli absent. 



a. Body pilose or sericeous ; anten- 

 niferous tubercles not prominent ; 

 first joint of antennte long and 

 slender; pronotum not transverse. Saicince. ^.z-'^ 



* The genus Linshcosteus (Acanthaspidinije) is an exception to this rule. 



