Dr. Leach's Classification of the Notonectides. 13 



Notonecta maculata. Olit>. JEncycl. Method. Hist. Nat. viii. 388. 4. 

 Notonecta glauca var. A. Latr. Gen. Crust, et Ins. iii. 150. 

 Habitat in Anglifi prope Bristol, Plymouth, et Exeter. 

 Elytra apice fuliginosa. 



Spec. 3. Notonecta glauca. 

 N.elytrisgriseis marginefusco-punctatis,dorsonigro apice pallido. 

 Notonecta glauca auctorum. 

 Var. /3. Elytris subferrugineis fusco-subirroratis. 

 Var. y. Elytris apice subnebulosis. 

 Var. h. Elytris pallidis itnrnaculatis. 

 Habitat in Britannia vulgatissime. 



This species is by far the most common that occurs in Great 

 Britain. The back of the abdomen is always black, terminated 

 with pale 3'ellow. Var. /3 at first sight bears a near resemblance 

 to N. maculata ; but the spots in the front of the elytra, and the 

 colour of the back, will readily distinguish them. Var. y I twice 

 received from Mr. S. VV. Millard, who took them near Bristol. 

 Var. i 1 found in the north of England, and I suspect it to be an 

 immature specimen. All the varieties, excepting the last, have a 

 small blackish spot on the hinder margin of the elytra ; but it is 

 much more distinct in some specimens than in others, and it is 

 never to be seen in N. maculata : this alfords another character 

 for discrimination, and therefore ought not to remain unnoticed. 



Gen. 2. Plea. 

 The thorax is obscurely hexagonal, with the hinder margin pro- 

 minent and rounded ; the head as broad as the broadest part of 

 the thorax ; the eyes are rather oblong, without the least ten- 

 dency to converge behind ; the hinder pair of legs not more cili- 

 ated than the others, but are terminated by very strong and di- 

 stinct claws; tips of the elytra acuminated and entire. 



Spec. 



