136 



THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 



the surface until lured there by the warm weather of spring. 

 They then lay their eggs, gluing them fast to water-plants. 



There are members of this family that live on the sur- 

 face of the ocean, hundreds of miles from land. 



Family LlMNOBATlDjE (Lim-no-bat'i-dae). 



The Marsh-treaders. 



Only a single species of this family, the Marsh-treader, 

 Limnobates lineata (Lim-nob'a-tes lin-e-a'ta), is found in the 

 United States. This is represented greatly 

 enlarged by Figure 158. Although not an 

 uncommon species, it is rarely seen on ac- 

 count of its small size and quiet habits. It 

 can be recognized by its linear form and 

 the great length of its head, which is longer 

 than the thorax. It crawls about on the 

 surface of the water or mud, or climbs upon 

 1 water-plants and sticks projecting from the 

 water; it seems to prefer stagnant ponds 

 or marshes. We do not know upon what 

 it feeds. 



Fig. 158. — Limnobates 



Family Emesid^E (E-mes'i-dse). 

 The Thread-legged Bugs. 

 This family includes a small number of insects in which 

 the body is very slender and the middle and hind legs are 

 thread-like ; but the fore 

 legs are fitted for grasping, 

 resembling much those of 

 the Mantes. Our most 

 common species is the 

 Long-legged Emesa, Eme- 

 sa longipes (Em'e-sa lon'- 

 gi-pes), which is repre- 

 sented by Figure 159. This 

 is found upon trees, or sometimes swinging by its long legs 

 from the roofs of sheds or barns. It is predaceous. 



FlG. 159. — Emesa longipes. 



