HEMIPTEKA. 97 



or other similar matters which come from furniture and clothes, 

 rendering the legs of this insect 'thick and deformed, and giving to 

 its whole body a very singular appearance." 



What instincts ! what habits ! Under this borrowed costume, 

 under this cloak, which is no part of itself, the insect, as it were 

 masked, has become twice its real size. What becomes of its dis- 

 guise, and how does it manage to walk ? Of what use to it is this 

 dirty and grotesque fancy dress ? 



Let us listen to De Greer. " It walks as fast, when it likes, as 

 other bugs ; but generally its walk is slow, and it moves with 

 measured steps. After having taken one step forward, it stops 

 awhile, and then takes another, leaving, at each movement, the 

 opposite leg in repose ; it goes on thus continually, step after step 

 in succession, which gives it the appearance of walking as if by 

 jerks, and in measure. It makes almost the same sort of move- 

 ment with its antennae, which it moves also at intervals and by 

 jerks. All these movements have a more singular appearance than 

 it is possible for us to describe."* 



By means of this disguise, it can approach little animals, which 

 become its prey, such as flies, spiders, bed-bugs. 



To see what a curious appearance the Reduvius presents, one 

 should take off its borrowed costume. Then you will see an 



Fig. 72. Reduvius personatus, covered with Fig. 73. Reduvius personatus, denuded 



its cloak of dust (magnified). of its cloak of dust (magnified). 



entirely different animal, and one which has nothing repulsive about 

 it. With the exception of the elytra and wings, which it has 



* "Memoires pour servir h 1'Histoire des Insectes." Stockholme, in 4to. 1773. 

 Tome iii., p. 283. 



