104 



Wown down, and had been allowed to remain for some time where 

 it fell, and it was probably then that it had been attacked by the 

 saw-fly.'^ - 



Mr. Gibbs also exhibited a case of Hemiptera, and communicated 

 the following notes : — 



"This is one of a series of Museum cases which I have prepared 

 to illustrate the chief Orders into which the Class Inxecta is 

 divided. I have chosen this case because the Order Heutiptera 

 includes the Cicadida, and I found the south European species to 

 be very plentiful in the Balkans last summer. In a pocket box I 

 show three specimens which I caught on tree trunks in the 

 Narenta valley one afternoon, when no butterflies were to be had. 



"I have devoted the top half of the case to the Heteruptera or 

 true bugs, which may be roughly distinguished by having horny 

 forewings and fairly long antennae, while the Homoptera in the 

 lower part of the case have membranous forewings and generally 

 short antenna). 



" The idea in preparing this series of cases has been to procure 

 large and conspicuous examples of the various Families, so that 

 their distinctive characteristics are easily apparent. For this 

 reason exotic specimens have been largely used, but there are some 

 British insects shown, as for instance the bed-bug [Ciwex 

 lectidarins), which it is a relief to know is not really a native 

 species, but was introduced into England in the 16th century, and 

 did not become common until after the great fire of London, when 

 large numbers w^ere introduced in foreign timber. There are some 

 of our British water species in the case, taken in my own grounds, 

 these, of course, being among the Heteroptera. Many of the most 

 showy bugs belong to the Homopterous families, such as the 

 Fnlt/orid(f, or Lantern-flies, which some authorities tell us are 

 luminous, while others deny the statement ; the Meinbracidd , which 

 includes some curious instances of mimicry; and the Civadid<r. 

 Mention of the latter family brings me back to the Cicadas I 

 brought home. These creatures swarmed everywhere in the 

 warmer parts of the Balkans, and the males made a verj^ great 

 noise. They settle on the tree trunks, and you can easily locate 

 them by the din they make, but when you approach close to them 

 they become quiet, and if you attempt to catch them they fly 

 rapidly away. One of them invaded a railway carriage in which 

 I was travelling. A man who was in the same compartment 

 saw it, imitated its call, closed the window, chased and caught it. 

 1 fear it had a bad time at his hands. The males only are provided 



