THE WATER SCOBPION. 251 



resemblance to a dead leaf. When any luckless insect 

 comes within reach, the two fore legs are struck 

 smartly at it, and almost to a certainty the prey is 

 inclosed in the limb, the joints of which fold closely 

 upon one another. Then, the prey having been seized, 

 it is firmly held while the beak of the capfcor is driven 

 into its body, and its juices sucked, as has already 

 been narrated of the water boatman. 



The manner in which the Water Scorpion obtains 

 air for respiration is worthy of notice. On referring 

 to the illustration, the reader will see that there is a 

 dangerous-looking spike projecting from the tail. 

 This is a compound instrument, forming a sort of 

 channel, along which air can be introduced to the 

 respiratory system while the body is under water. 

 For this reason the Water Scorpion is generally found 

 close to the bank, so that it can be protected from 

 foes by its wonderful resemblance to a dead leaf, and, 

 while resting in the mud, protrude its spiky tail above 

 the surface, and so take in the needful air. 



I may here mention, that there is an allied insect 

 that has, as far as I know, no popular name, but is 

 scientifically called Ranatra linearis. One of these 

 insects was taken by a young lady of my acquaintance, 

 and she, not knowing its name, called it " Daddy," 

 from its resemblance to a Daddy-long-legs fly with- 

 out the wings. 



She kept the insect in a glass globe, and ' ' Daddy " 

 soon became quite an important personage in the 

 house. He used to catch prey with a wonderfully 

 sharp stroke of the fore legs. Various aquatic larvse 

 and insects are its usual food, and I have seen it prey 



