HEMIPTERA. 271 



rostrum takes its origin directly from the front of the 

 bead ; the hemelytra are always membranous at the 

 extremity ; the prothorax is much larger than the 

 other divisions of the trunk ; the body flat and de- 

 pressed, the hemelytra and wings being always hori- 

 zontal or very slightly inclined ; the former crossing 

 h other when closed ; antennae usually rather 

 long and not terminating in a bristle ; scutellum 

 large ; ovipositor not developed. This section con- 

 tains the following families : Cimicidae (bugs), Penta- 

 tomidae (plant buys), Coreidae, Reduviidae (wheel 

 bugs), Acanthidae, Hydrometridse (water bugs), Ne- 

 pidae (water scorpions), Notonectidse (boat-flies). 

 The three last are aquatic, and the two last consti- 

 tute the subdivision named Hydrocorisa, or water- 

 bugs, by Latreille ; the others form his subdivision 

 Geocorisa, or land-bugs. 



SCUTELLERA DISPAR. 



PLATE XIX. Fig. 1. 

 StolFs Punaises, PI. 37, fig. 260. 



This genus is essentially characterised by the 

 excessive development of the scutellum, which covers 

 the entire abdomen like a shield, concealing both 

 the hemelytra and wings. As in all the other 

 species of the family the antennae are five-jointed, 

 the joints pretty long and nearly of equal thickness ; 

 sucker consisting of four distinct articulations ; tarsi 

 tbree- join ted. 



The scutellerae were referred by Linnaeus to his 

 great genus Cimex, and they were subsequently con- 



