NOTONECTA. NOTONECTA. 



Generic Character. 



Nostrum inflexum. 



thorace breviores. 



quatuor,cruciato-com- 

 plicatae. 



Pedes posteriores pilosi, na- 

 tatorii. 



Snout inflected. 



Antennee shorter than tho- 



rax. 



Wings coriaceous on the 

 upper part, and crossed 

 over each other. 



Hind-Feet edged with hairs, 

 and formed for swimming. 



JL HE principal species of this genus is the No- 

 tonecta glauca, a very common aquatic insect, in- 

 habiting stagnant waters, and generally measur- 

 ing about three parts of an inch in length. Its 

 colour is grey-brown, and the upper wings are 

 marked along the edges by a row of minute black 

 specks. This insect is usually seen swimming 

 on its back, in which situation it bears a most 

 striking resemblance to a boat in miniature, the 

 hind-legs acting like a pair of oars, and impelling 

 the animal at intervals through the water. It 

 preys on the smaller inhabitants of the water, and 

 flies only by night. 



Notonecta strlata is much smaller than the pre- 

 ceding, not measuring more than a quarter of an 

 inch in length, and is of a yellowish grey colour. 



