98 THE INSECT WOELD. 



not yet got, all its parts have the form which they are to have 

 later, after the wings are developed.' 



Fig. 72 represents, after Charles de Geer's memoir, the pupa of 

 the Redumus personatus covered with dust, and resembling a 

 spider ; Fig. 73, the same insect cleaned freed from the cloak of 

 dust which served to disguise it. 



The Hydrometrce, (from vSwp, water, and /x,erpe/, to measure) have 

 linear bodies. The head, which forms nearly the third of the 



entire length, is furnished with 

 two long antennae, and armed 

 with a thin, hair-like beak. The 

 legs are long, and of equal length. 

 The reader may have often seen 

 Fig. 74.-Hydrometra stagnorum, the Hydrometra stagnorum walk- 



ing by jerks on the surface of the water (Fig. 74). The body 

 and legs are of a ferruginous colour, the elytra a dull brown, 

 and the wings hyaline or glassy, and slightly blackish. Geoffrey 

 says that it resembles a long needle, and calls it the Needle-bug. 



The Hydrocorisce, or Water-bugs, have the antennae shorter than 

 the head, or scarcely attaining to its length, and inserted and 

 hidden under the eyes, which are in general of 

 remarkable size. All these Hemiptera are aquatic 

 and carnivorous. We will mention the two prin- 

 cipal types, the Neptf, or water scorpions, and 

 the Notonecte, or boatmen. 



The Nepa cinerea (Fig. 75), which Geoffroy 

 calls the oval-bodied water scorpion, and which 

 he also designates by the name of the water spider, 

 is very common in the stagnant waters of ponds 

 and ditches. Its body, oval, very flat, of an ashy 

 colour, with red on the abdomen, is four-fifths of an 

 Fig 75 inch long. The elytra are horizontal, coriaceous, 



Nepa cinerea. and o f a dirty grey. Its front legs, with short 

 haunches, and very broad thighs, are terminated by strong pincers, 

 which give to the insect a strong resemblance to the scorpion. 

 It is by folding back the leg and the tarsus under the thigh, that 

 the animal holds its prey, and sucks it with its rostrum or beak. 

 This rostrum is composed of three joints, and contains four 



