HEMIPTERA. 565 



Heterotoma, Latr., has the two basal joints of the antennae very thick and setose. The type of this curious ^enus 

 is Capsiis spissicornis. Fab. [a common British species]. 



The other Hemiptera of this family have only two or three joints in the sheath of the proboscis ; the labrum is 

 short, and not striated ; the basal and often the second joint of the tarsi are very short; the legs inserted in the 

 middle of the breast ; the ungues apical. Some of these have the proboscis straight, and generally resting in a 

 canal ; the eyes of ordinary size, and the head not narrowed into a neck. The body is generally entirely or partly 

 membranous, and often flattened. They compose the majority of the Fabrician genus Acanthia, from which the 

 following have been separated. 



Si/rtis, Fab. (Macrocephalus, Swed., Phjmata, Latr.), has the fore-legs very large and claw-like, serving to seize 

 their prey. In Macrocephalus the scutellum is distinct, and covers nearly the whole abdomen. In Phymata 

 (*. crassipes, F.), the [scutellum is minute], and only covers part of the upper side of the abdomen. 



Ti/iffis, Fab., has the body very flat, and the antenna; terminated by a short knob, the third joint being elong- 

 ated ; the majority live upon plants, puncturing the leaves of flowers, and sometimes producing galls. The leaves 

 of the pear are often gnawed by T. pyri. [These are minute insects, many of which are English, having the body 

 membranous, and covered with small cells ; the thorax is extended behind, over the scutellum.] 



Aradus, Fab., resembles Tingis in the form of the body, but has the antennae cylindrical, with the second joint 

 as long as the third, or longer. They are found under the bark of trees, in crevices of old wood, &c. [Small 

 insects, of which several are found in this country. A. depressns, Betula, &c.] 



Cimex proper, Acanthia, Fab., has the body very flat, but the antenna; terminate in a setaceous joint. The 

 typical species, C.lectularius, Linn., the Bed-bug, is too well known to need description. It is said not to have existed 

 in England before the great fire in 1666, and that it was imported in wood from America ; Dioscorides, however 

 mentioned it. It has also been asserted that this species sometimes gains wina:s. It also infests young Pigeons, 



,_^_^^_^ Swallows, &c. ; but that which attacks the latter birds appears to me to form a distinct species. 



>^\/^ [The Rev. L. Jenyns has recently described it as distinct, C. Hinmdinis ; as well as one from Pigeons, 

 1 '^^S~ ^' '^olumbarius ; and one found on a Bat, C. PipistrelU. (Annals of Nat. Hist., June, 1839.)] 



(j^^^ Various plans have been proposed for their e.xtirpation, but the best is extreme cleanliness. 



(^^ ■ The other Geocorisce of this subdivision have the proboscis exposed, arched, or sometimes 



Fig. 96.— Cimex straight, with the labrum prominent and the head suddenly narrowed behind into a neck. The 

 latter form the primitive genus 



Reduvius, Fabricius, — 

 In which the proboscis is short, very acute, and capable of pricking strongly, the pain of which lasts for a long 

 time. The antenna; are very slender at the tips ; many species produce a noise similar to that made by Crioceris 

 and the Capricorn Beetles, which is more quickly repeated. This genus has been thus subdivided. 



Holoptilus, Lep. and Serv., which have only three joints to the antennae, the last two furnished with very long 

 hairs, arranged in two rows, and verticillated in the last joint. 



Reduviits proper, has the antennae 4-jointed, and smooth, or but slightly pubescent, and the body is oblong- 

 oval, with the feet of moderate size. R. personatus, Linn., inhabits the interior of houses, where it lives upon 

 flies and other insects, which it approaches stealthily, and then darts itself, immediately killing them by piercing 

 them with its proboscis. In the preparatory states it looks like a Spider, covering itself with particles of dust 

 and dirt. 



Nabis, Latr., in which the thorax is but slightly divided transversely, and Petalockeirus, Pal. Beauv., iu which 

 the fore tibia; form a round plate, may be united therewith. 



Zelus, Fab., has the body linear, with the legs very long, slender, and alike, [consisting of a great number of 

 exotic species]. 



Ploiaria, Scop., diff"ers from the last in having the two fore-legs [short] with elongated coxae, formed as in 

 Mantis for seizing the prey. Gerris vagabiindus, Fabr. [an insect of small size, not uncommon in England]. 



We are now arrived at Geocorisae remarkable for the large size of the eyes, and the head not formed into a 

 neck, with the head transverse. They live at the sides of water, where they run with great agility, and often take 

 short leaps. 



Leptopus, Latr., has the proboscis short andarched, and the antennae setaceous ; [small species, several of which 

 are found on the Continent]. 



Acanthia, Latr. (Salda proper, Fabr.), has the proboscis long and straight, and the antennas filiform. Salda 

 Utoralis, Fabr., &c. [several British species of small size]. 



Pelogonus, Latr., differs from Acanthia in having the antennae very short, and folded beneath the eyes. The 

 species are small, and approach Naucoris, to which they conduct with the following. 



Sometimes the four hind legs, very long and slender, are inserted upon the sides of the breast, and wide apart ; 

 the tarsal ungues are very small, indistinct, and fixed in a fissure at the side of the tarsi. These feet serve either 

 for rowing or creeping on the water. They are peculiar to the genus 



HvDROMETRA, Fabr., — 

 Which Latreille divides into three others. 



Ilijdrometra proper, with setaceous antennae, and the head produced into a muzzle, with the rostrum received 

 in a canal on the under side. [//. stagnoriim, a small, very slender, and common species, found crawling on the 

 surface of water.] 



Gerris, Latr., has filiform antennae, with the sheath of the proboscis 3-jointed, and the second pair of legs wide 



