2 Flemiptera-Fleteroptera. 
Hemiptera probably hold their own against any other order, 
and as a rule the specific characters can be derived from 
structure, and are well defined; the generic characters, on 
the other hand, are frequently obscure, which is especially 
the case in the large family Capsida, where the grouping of 
the species into genera is a labour of great difficulty. The 
larger or more comprehensive divisions again appear to be 
better defined. 
The large majority of our species are vegetable feeders, 
existing on the juices of plants. but a few, as is well known, 
havea preference for animal nutriment ; whilst some appear 
to relish either animal or vegetable juices. There are a few 
species in this country that appear to associate with ants, 
and more or less resemble them in appearance, especially 
when in motion; of such resemblances the most striking 
exainple we have is that between the female of Systellonotus 
triguttatus and the worker of Lasius niger, amongst which 
both sexes of the bug may occasionally be found running. 
Dr. Reuter has found it actually in the nest of L. niger, and 
Mr. Douglas has found it in the nest of Formica fusca. 
The species of Pilophorus again frequently occur in company 
with ants, which they certainly resemble in general ap- 
pearance. The same may be said of the larva of Alydus 
calearatus; Piezostethus formicetorum inhabits ants’ nests, 
but does not resemble its host. On the Continent there 
are many species very closely resembling the Formicide, 
and Mr. Wroughton lately exhibited at the Entomological 
Society a most interesting species from India belonging to 
the Capside, which associates with Polyrhachis spiniger 
and bears spines on the pronotum, etc., corresponding 
almost exactly with those on the ant. 
The metamorphoses of this order of insects being im- 
perfect, the larval and nymph states are active, and more 
or less resemble the imago, although in many cases the 
resemblance is hard to trace ; as, for instance, in the larva 
of some of the Nabidie, that of Calocoris rosecomaculatus, or 
