158 NEPA. 



is a very frequent inhabitant of stagnant waters 

 in our own country, measuring about an inch in 

 length, and appearing, when the wings are closed, 

 entirely of a dull brown colour ; but, when the 

 wings are expanded, the body appears of a bright 

 red colour above, with a black longitudinal band 

 down the middle : and the lower wings, which are 

 of a fine transparent white, are decorated with 

 red veins: from the tail proceeds a tubular bifid 

 process or style, nearly of the length of the body, 

 and which appears single on a general view, the 

 two valves of which it consists being generally 

 applied close to each other throughout their whole 

 length. The animal is of slow motion, and is 

 often found creeping about the shallow parts of 

 ponds, &c. In the month of May it deposits its 

 eggs on the soft surface of the mud at the bottom 

 of the water : they are of a singular shape, resem- 

 bling some of the crowned seeds, having an oval 

 body, and an upper part surrounded by seven 

 radiating processes or curv r ed spines: the young, 

 when first hatched, are not more than the eighth 

 of an inch in length. The Water-Scorpion flies 

 only by night, when it wanders about the fields 

 in the neighbourhood of its native waters. The 

 larvag and pupae differ in appearance from the 

 complete insect in having only the rudiments of 

 wings, and being of a paler or yellower colour. 



Nepa cimicoides of Linnaeus differs materially 

 from the preceding species, and has, at first view, 

 more the aspect of a Notonecta than a Nepa, the 



