NOTONECTA. 



41 



Head broad, eyes large, iuterocular space varying in breadth 

 and shape ; rostrum four-jointed ; pronotum trapeziform, trans- 

 verse, strongly convex, anterior margin a little centrally produced, 

 lateral margins obliquely straight, the posterior lateral angles very 

 slightly subprominent ; scutellum large, almost triangular ; hem- 

 elytra complete, meuibrane distinct ; abdomen beneath ciliate on 

 lateral areas and at apex, and centrally longitudinally carinate ; 

 tarsi two-jointed ; intermediate femora with a prominent tooth 

 near apex. 



These insects, commonly known in this country as the " Water 

 Boatman," swim on their backs. Their eggs are inserted into the 

 stems of aquatic plants. They are extremely predaceous and will 

 attack small fish, tadpoles, small frogs, &c., as keepers of aquaria 

 have learned by experience. 



1517. Notonecta montandoni, Kirk. A. M. N. H. (6) xx, p. 56 (1897); 

 id. Tr. E. S. 1897, p. 417. 



Eyes, scutellum, membrane, and body beneath black ; head, pro- 

 notum, legs, and connexivum more or 

 less ochraceous ; corium purplish-red, in 

 some specimens the clavus is more or 

 less irregularly marked with black, and, 

 according to the description, sometimes 

 " a broad undulatory baud runs across 

 the corium,*' which I have only seen in 

 specimens from China. Iuterocular 

 space very narrow at base and then 

 outwardly obliquely divergent, the base 

 little more than half the breadth of 

 apex. 



Length 15 to 17 millim. 

 Hab. Burma: Karennee (Fea) ; Euby 

 Mines (DoJierty). — Tibet, Mou-pin 



JVotonecta montandoni. {Paris Mus.). China : Kiang-si {Paris 



Mus.) ; Chang Yang {Pratt). 



1518. Notonecta glauca, Linn. Si/st Nat. ed. x, p. 439 (1758) ; JDist. 

 Sec. Yark. Miss., H/upich. p. 13 (1879) ; for full syn. cf. Kirk. 

 Tr. E. S. 1897, p. 419. 



A very variable species in coloration, of which many varietal 

 forms have been described, one of which is found in British 

 India ; this is the variety N. marginata, Miill. Zool. Dan. p. 104 

 (1776), which has been thus diagnosed by Kirkaldy {supra) : — 



" Hemelytra bluish-black or dull black ; clavus luteous except 

 at the sutural margins ; a longitudinal luteous fascia, varying in 

 length, at the base of the endo- and mesocorium ; in many indivi- 

 duals there are one or two ferruginous spots near the apical margin 

 of the corium." 



