THE WATER BOATMAN. 243 



attacking and devouring their own kind. It is in 

 consequence of this voracity that they are furnished 

 with such powerful wings; for when they have ex- 

 hausted the supply of food in one pond they can easily 

 fly to another. 



THE WATER BOATMAN (Notonectd 



There is another large group of water trespassing 

 insects, which are popularly and appropriately called 

 Water Boatmen, and equally appropriately, though 

 not, perhaps, as intelligibly, by the scientific title of 

 NotouectidaB. This term will presently be explained. 

 They belong to the order called Heteroptera ; and, 

 although they agree in many points with the water 

 beetles, they are very diverse in others. 



Both groups of insects pass the greater part of 

 their time in the water, find their food in the water, 

 prey upon living beings, and are exceedingly voracious. 

 Both, also, are furnished with wings, by means of 

 which they can transport themselves from one piece 

 of water to another. But they feed in a different 

 manner and swim in a different manner. 



First, as to the feeding. The water beetles seize 

 their prey in- their jaws, and tear it to pieces ; the 

 mandibles being strong enough to pierce the human 

 skin and draw blood. The Water Boatman, however, 

 goes on a different principle. It has not jaws like 

 those of the water beetle ; but the parts of the mouth 

 which in an insect are numerous and complicated, are 

 modified into a short, but very sharp proboscis. When 



