178 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



forming a wavy, irregular, transverse band ; tlie body beneath 

 is greenish yellow varied with black, and the feet are green ; 

 the rostrum or beak with which it sucks the juices of other 

 insects, is rather short and curved beneath the body when not 

 in use, as is the case in most of the insects of this Order. It 

 measures less than .45 in length. 



Randtra fusca of Palisot de 

 Beauvois, or the fuscous Ranatra 

 (the generic name seems to be 

 derived from Rana, a frog) (figure 

 51) is one of the most singular of 

 our native water-bugs. It belongs 

 to the family Nepidce of Leach, 

 or water-scorpions, containing the 

 genera Nepa, of Linneeus, Ranatra 

 of Fabricius, and Belosidma of 

 Latreille, all represented in Massa- 

 chusetts. This insect is very long 

 and slender, of a nearly uniform 

 light brown color above and paler 

 beneath, the rostrum is exceedingly 

 short and projects in front between 

 the prominent black eyes, the 

 antennae are invisible, but the 

 long and curved fore-feet are 

 raised and brandished before the 

 head, and seem particularly fitted 

 for seizing tbeir prey, while the hinder ones are still longer and 

 more attenuated and are used as oars to propel the insect along 

 the surface of the water ; tlie tip of the abdomen is furnished 

 with two long seta; or bristles, which may aid it in balancing 

 itself upon tbc water wben struggling with another insect, or 

 in directing the laying of its eggs ; the wings are long, narrow, 

 and folded closely upon its back not reaching the tip of the 

 abdomen. It measures about 1.65 to the tip of the abdomen, 

 and including the anal setas, over 2.75, 



The family Ilydromrtridcr of Leach, or water-measurers, con- 

 tains among otliers our commonly known water-skater, Gem's 

 palndnm of Fabricius, or the skater of the marsbes, (figure 52,) 

 seen on every brook and pool during the summer swiftly 



Fig. 51. 



