INSECTS OF BEAUTY. 213 



insects. In place of the loathsome wingless platitude of our 

 domestic town torments, their " country cousins " are adorned, 

 for the most part, with exquisitely delicate and iridescent 

 wings, protected, when at rest, by membranous cases, which 

 in various species present almost every variety of gay, as well 

 as sober colouring. In short, with some general features of 

 resemblance, these respective denizens of light and darkness 

 are as much contrasted with each other, as are the darkness 

 and the light themselves. 



Throughout the summer plant-bugs abound ; certain kinds 

 of them usually frequenting certain plants. Several of similar 

 form, but varied in colour, red, black, green, are almost always 

 to be found upon the southern-wood.* They are common 

 also, the green especially, on 'umbelliferous flowers ; and there 

 is a pretty brown species peculiar to the thistle, with four deli- 

 cately mottled membranous wings. The form of these little 

 animals varies sometimes from the usual ovate to the linear, 

 and the legs of many are long, as well as slender. These, as 

 well as the antennae, are mostly ringed at the joints with a 

 darker or lighter colour, and the shape of the latter organs is 

 in some instances very singular, as well as elegant.* Though 

 always vegetable frequenters, these insects are not, at least, 

 always vegetable feeders ; their sharp beak-like suckers (some- 

 thing resembling those of aphides) being sometimes employed 

 upon aphides themselves. 



* See Vignette. 



