Aquatic Insects 103 



piercing the skin of one's hand in a very 

 painful manner. 



Closely allied to the Boatmen is 

 another family (Corixidce). These in- 

 sects do not swim upside down, but in 

 shape and general appearance resemble 

 their cousins. The eggs are attached to 

 aquatic weeds by means of a glutinous 

 substance and are sometimes in such 

 numbers as to form quite a large mass. 

 In Mexico the Indians consider the eggs 

 a great delicacy, and to obtain them they 

 place in the water bundles of reeds and 

 later collect the egg-masses that have 

 been deposited on them. It is said that 

 in Egypt and Mexico the adult insects 

 also are eaten. 



The Belostomidce is a family containing 

 the largest known water insects, Belostoma 

 indica. It measures nearly five inches in 

 length and is heavily built. There are 

 no British representatives of this family, 

 which occurs in India, South Africa and 



