RHYNCHOTA. 



191 



1, Tingis affinis ( x 8) ; 2, Aradus corticalis ( x 6) ; 

 3, Cimex lectularius (much enlarged). 



i"Hi , 



also of four joints, which can be turned back to lie in a groove under the throat. 

 The shape of the insect may be seen from the figure, as well as the two lobes lying at 

 the sides of the scutellum, which are all it has in the way of elytra. Closely-allied 

 species are found in dovecots, and in the 

 nests of martins and bats. The 

 Reduviidce are predaceous bugs, in 

 which the head, narrowed behind in the 

 form of a neck, carries two ocelli in 

 addition to the compound eyes. Their 

 antennae are composed of four joints, 

 though these are often subdivided in 

 such a way that the number may 

 appear much greater. The rostrum is 



short and strong, and three-jointed ; their legs are long, and have three-jointed 

 tarsi ; and the fore-legs often serve as prehensile organs, their tarsi being specially 

 adapted for that purpose. Reduvius personatus, the largest British species, is 



three-quarters of an inch long, of s, 

 black -brown colour, with red legs, 

 which, as well as the prothorax and 

 antennae, are somewhat hairy. 



The Saldidce, w T hich, on account 

 of their large projecting eyes, are 

 sometimes known as Oculati, form 

 with the next family a sort of tran- 

 sitional group between the land-bugs 

 and water -bugs. They live in the 

 neighbourhood of water, either by 

 the seashore or along the sandy banks 

 of inland waters; and not only run 

 with great rapidity, but often advance 

 with leaps and bounds, their long spiny hind-legs being well fitted for this mode 

 of locomotion. One of the species of the typical genus Salda is represented in 

 the illustration. The pond -skaters (Hydrometridce) have moderately long con- 

 spicuous antennae, and present other points of structure showing 

 that they are nearly related to the true land -bugs. In some 

 species wings, and in others, elytra also, may be wanting. These 

 insects may be seen walking or gliding about on the sunny surface 

 of stagnant or slow -flowing waters; and those of one genus 

 (Halobates) are found on the surface of the sea, sometimes right 

 out in mid -ocean. The true pond -skaters (Gerris) move about 

 very quickly on the surface of the water, and use their fore-legs 

 in seizing their prey. Limnobates stagnorum is a more sluggish 

 insect, walking slowly on the surface of the water, or on the 

 grassy banks ; and is remarkable for its elongated slender body, 

 whence its name of needle-bug or water-gnat. This species is figured on p. 192, 

 together with Gerris paludum and the larva of Velia ciirrens. 



Reduvius personatus and its larva (nat size). 



Salda degantida 

 (greatly enlarged). 



