324 INSECTS. 



prettily-coloured species, and are often remarkable for 

 peculiarities both of form and texture. 



In some genera, the thorax is dilated at the sides, the 

 wing-cases rarely entirely cover the abdomen, and the legs 

 are long. 



One genus, Rhopalus, is remarkable for the texture of 

 the wings, the fore-part of which is nearly clear, and is 

 outlined and crossed by exceedingly strong, thick nerves, 

 forming cells. The lower part is numerously horned. 

 This genus contains only one species, R. capitatus, a 

 yellow insect about three-eighths of an inch in length, 

 with thick, hairy antennae. 



Another species, Oymus resedse, about one-fifth of 

 an inch in length, with red head and scutellum, and the 

 rest of the body yellow, is found on Mignonette. 



These insects are all active, both in running and 

 flying, and are supposed to live on the juices of plants. 



The family ScutelleridaB derives its name from the 

 great size of the scutellum or triangular shield, which 

 overlies the abdomen. The proboscis and antenna are 

 long, the latter frequently consisting of five joints. 



There are twelve genera, and about forty species, of 

 which fifteen are in the Genus Pentatoma. Pentatoma 

 rufipes (PI. XIII., fig. 6) is a common and handsome 

 species, but does not display the family character of an 

 enlarged scutellum in anything like the degree in which 

 it may be seen in other genera. Thus, in Podops in- 

 unctus, a broad, brown, beetle-like insect, about a 

 quarter of an inch in length, and with two curious horns 

 or epaulettes projecting from the shoulders, the large 

 rounded scutellum nearly covers the wings. 



In Eurydema oleracea, a beautiful oval insect of about 

 the same length, the scutellum is nearly as long, but 



