TRUE ORTHOPTERA 



3157 



Reduvius personatus and its larva. 

 (Natural size.) 



and strong, and three jointed; their legs are long, and have three-jointed tarsi; and 

 the fore-legs often serve as prehensile organs, their tarsi being specially adapted for 

 that purpose. Reduvius personatus, the largest British species, is three-quarters of 

 an inch long, of a black-brown color, with red legs, which, as well as the pro thorax 

 and antennae, are some what hairy. 

 The Saldidce, which, on account 

 of their large projecting eyes, are 

 sometimes known as Oculati, form 

 with the next family a sort of tran- 

 sitional group between the land bugs 

 and water bugs. They live in the 

 neighborhood of water, either by the 

 seashore or along the sandy banks of 

 inland waters; and not only run with 

 great rapidity, but often advance 

 with leaps and bounds, their long 

 spiny hind-legs being well fitted for 

 this mode of locomotion. One of 

 the species of the typical genus Salda 



is represented in the illustration. The pond skaters (Hydrometridtz) have moder- 

 ately long conspicuous antennae, and present other points of structure showing 

 that they are nearly related to the true land bugs. In some species wings, and 

 in others, elytra also, may be wanting. These insects may be seen walking or glid- 

 ing about on the sunny surface of stagnant or slow-flowing waters; and those of one 

 genus (Halobates) are found on the surface of the sea, sometimes right out in mid 

 ocean. The true pond skaters {Gerris) move about very quickly 

 on the surface of the water, and use their fore-legs in seizing their 

 prey. Limnobates stagnorum is a more sluggish insect, walking 

 slowly on the surface of the water, or on the grassy banks; and is 

 remarkable for its elongated slender body, whence its name of 

 needle bug or water gnat. This species is figured on p. 3158, to- 

 gether with Gerris paludum and the larva of Velia currens. 



The water bugs, Hydrocorisa, are distinguished 

 ^^ ^ Qnly by thdr mode of ]ife> 



. , 



(Greatly enlarged. ) but also b 7 their short inconspicuous antennae, and are mostly 

 dull and uniformly colored insects, frequenting stagnant waters, 

 where they swim, some on their back, others with the back uppermost. They 

 are all comprised in two families. Of these, the water scorpions (Nepidat) 

 have a small narrow head, and their fore-legs are specially modified to serve as pre- 

 hensile organs. Whereas some swim actively, others drag themselves slowly along 

 the bottom of the ponds in which they live. They are furnished with an appendage 

 looking like a long tail, but consisting of two separate pieces, grooved on their inner 

 surface, and capable of being locked closely together to form a tube, which leads to 

 the two spiracles placed at the hind end of the body. When the insects come up to 

 breathe, the tip of this breathing tube may be seen emerging just at the surface of 



Water Bugs 



elegantula. 



