HEMIPTERA. 



I8 9 



Belostoma americanum (Fig. 1 59) varies greatly in size. Specimens 



before me as I write this range from 44111111. (1.75 in.) to 60 mm. (2.4 



in.) in length. It is of a pale dirty-brown 



color, mottled with dark brown ; the ven- 

 tral aspect of the body is speckled with 



dark brown. The anterior femora are 



furnished with a groove for the reception 



of the edge of the tibiae. 



rlsciis can be distinguished 



from Belostoma by the absence of the 



femoral groove. In Bcnacus the ventral 

 t of the thorax is marked by five 



interrupted longitudinal stripes of dark 



brown. 



To the genus Zditha belong our more 



common representatives of the smaller 



members of this family. The common 

 es of the Eastern United States is 



ZditJia flnmlnca. This measures about 



nine-tenths of an inch in length, and bears 



a round scar on each side of the prothorax (Fig. 160). The 

 females of this species lay their eggs upon 

 their own backs. These eggs are set upon 

 end, and placed in transverse ro\\ s. by nu a- 

 a long protrusile tube or ovipositor, which the 

 in-ecl can extend far OVCT her own hack. The 

 are fastened to the back of the mother by 

 a very thi.i layer of a waterproof gun: d by 



the insect. At about the time when the young 

 brood begins to hatch, the mother sheds the 

 entire layer of eggs from her back. (Dim- 

 mock.) 



FIG. 



amtrica**m. 



FlG. i6o.Zaittn flu 

 mint*. 



Family XV. NAUCORID.*:.* 



rf&f includes flat-bodied, chiefly oval ir .Inch 



are of small than the members of the -ig famil) 



abdomen Is without caudal appendages ,and the legs an I 1 for 



:u-rtli;u! ! 



for gra- mora being greatly th no 



NaucOridac, Naucorii : n.iut (ravf), a boat ; corn (tcoptf), a bag. 



'3 



