46 NEPINA. 



long as, the abdomen ; Emlolium indistinct ; Corium long, posterior 

 margin oblique; Membrane filled with reticulated nerves. Wings 

 ample, with four strong nerves, the three anterior ones forming two 

 long, closed cells ; from the nerves proceed many transverse, delicate 

 nervures. Sternum convex, deeply excavated beneath the coxae. 

 Legs: first pair raptorial; the coxa very long, inserted at the 

 anterior angles of the prosternum; thighs dilated, grooved beneath 

 for the reception of the tibia3 ; tibice curved : second and third pairs 

 of legs simple ; tarsi all monomerous, united to the tibiae ; first pair 

 without claws, second and third pairs with two long claws. 



Abdomen without stigmata at the sides, the end furnished with two long 

 filaments, which, united and projected above the surface of the water, form 

 a passage for the air to two spiracles placed at the sides of the anus ; 

 Connexivum moderate, reflexed. 



FAMILY l.RANATRID^E. 



Long, cylindrical. Antenna: second joint as long as the first, 

 with a short, stout, oblique lateral process ; third fusiform, stout, 

 not incumbent on the second, and reaching beyond its process. Eyes 

 large, prominent. Rostrum porrected ; first joint greatly contracted 

 at the base. Pronotmn very long, narrowest in the middle, most 

 widened posteriorly ; posterior margin angularly excised. Scutellum 

 rhomboidal. Elytra laid sloping to the sides, shorter than the 

 abdomen ; Corium long, posterior margin oblique ; Membrane dis- 

 tinct, short, finely reticulated. Sternum : Prosternum with a longi- 

 tudinal channel on each side of a thin middle keel ; posterior mar- 

 gin, at the sides, oblique ; Mesosternum trapeziform, convex ; Meta- 

 sternum in the middle, raised, oval, posteriorly produced into a 

 xyphus. Legs long, slender: first pair; coxa cylindrical, about two 

 thirds the length of the tibiae ; thighs slightly dilated as far as the 

 groove, linear and curved outwards thence to the apex ; the groove 

 narrow, anterior, extending rather more than one third the length of 

 the thigh, terminated by a large spine ; tibice thin, curved ; tarsi 

 long, curved : second and third pairs longer than the first, cylin- 

 drical; coxce short, stout; tarsi very long, slender; claws thin, 

 divergent. 



Abdomen beneath, trigonal ; the posterior margin of all the segments 

 straight. Connexivum comparatively broad, projecting, reflexed. Genital 



