NEPA. 15Q 



hind legs being formed for swimming briskly, and 

 furnished with an edging of hairs on the inner 

 side : it also bears a resemblance to the generality 

 of the Cimices, in its broadly ovate shape: the 

 thorax and upper wings are pale brown j the 

 lower wings transparent white, and the back, 

 which appears only when the wings are expanded, 

 is of a fine blueish black: the sides of the abdo- 

 men are serrated: the under surface is of a pale 

 yellowish brown, with blue-green thorax: the fore- 

 feet or chelae are very short, and the abdomen is 

 simple, or destitute of any lengthened process. 

 This insect is less common than the preceding, 

 but is found in similar situations. 



Nepa linearis is an insect of a highly singular 

 aspect, bearing a distant resemblance to some 

 of the smaller insects of the genus Mantis and 

 Phasma. It measures about an inch and half from 

 the tip of the snout to the beginning of the abdo- 

 minal style or process, which is itself of equal 

 length to the former part, and the whole animal is 

 extremely slender in proportion to its length: the 

 legs also are long and slender, and the chela? or 

 fore-legs much longer in proportion than those of 

 the second species or Nepa cinerea: the colour 

 of the animal is dull yellowish brown, the back, 

 when the wings are expanded, appearing of a 

 brownish red, and the under wings white and 

 transparent. It inhabits the larger kind of stag- 

 nant waters, frequenting the shallower parts dur- 

 ing the middle of the day, when it may be ob- 

 served to prey on the smaller water insects, &c. 



