230 Journal Nf.w York Entomological Society. [Voi. x. 



NOTES ON THE NOTONECTIDiE OF THE 

 VICINITY OF NEW YORK. 



Bv J. R. DK LA ToKRK IjLKNO. 



In the spring of this year (1902) chance led me to attempt the 

 breeding of Notonectas, and since that time I have collected them all 

 through the summer in this vicinity, principally on Staten Island. 

 On two occasions I collected in Van Cortlandt Park ; and in the 

 spring I got a good deal of material in the lake at looth Street, in 

 Central Park. In working up this material, I found that I had all the 

 described species that occur in the East, with one exception. 



In the genera Plea and An/sops, I collected what, because of 

 locality, I take to be the only species found here ; namely, F/ea 

 striola and A}2isops platycnemis. As far as records go, striola appears 

 to be the only species of F/ea found in the United States, but it 

 would seem to me that careful collecting and study would in all prob- 

 ability result in the addition of species to the list in this and the next 

 genus. In Anisops, Uhler gives only one species as found in the At- 

 lantic States, that \)&mg plafycnemis. 



The genus Notonecta is represented by iiisiilata, unditlata in three 

 color-varieties ; variabilis, and irrorata. 1 also took on Staten Island 

 one specimen which does not very well fit in anywhere and may be an 

 aberrant tiiuliilafa, or a new species. This requires further study. 



The analytical tables are adapted and the descriptions (except those 

 of Flea and Anisops) taken from Mr. G. W. Kirkaldy's "Revision 

 of the Notonectidse," according to which I have made all my deter- 

 minations. 



For the proper understanding of the descriptions and tables, three 

 terms must be explained. Kirkaldy says in his paper mentioned : 

 "That portion of the head which is apparent from a dorsal aspect is 

 named the notocephalon ; it is more or less constricted close to the 

 base, this constriction, here termed the synthlipsis, being of great con- 

 venience for diagnostic purposes. The imaginary anterior margin of 

 the notocephalon is called the vertex." 



Analytical Tables. 

 Family Ngtonectid.t;. 

 Beak 3-4-jointed ; antenniv 4-jointed ; first pair of legs inserted on the posterior 

 margin of the pronotum ; scutellum large. 



