39 6 CONNECTICUT GEOL. AND NAT. HIST. SURVEY. [Bull. 



explanation of thorax, which is rugulose. Entire upper surface 

 with a shagreened effect, produced by white tubercles of varying 

 sizes on a parti-colored ground, in which black predominates varied 

 with bronze and blue. 



Length, 6.3 mm.; width, 5.1mm., at corial expansion. See 

 fig. 38. 



Described from one male, from Muncie, 111., October 16, 191 5, 

 collected by Dr. Philip Garman and now in his collection. Named 

 in^ compliment to my friend, Mr. H. G. Barber, one of the 

 collaborators in the present work. 



This species approaches another undescribed Eastern form, 

 frequently found in New Jersey and South, which, however, does 

 not fall in either of the divisions in the preceding key. 



Family BELOSTOMATIDAE. 



By J. R. DE LA TORRE-BUENO. 



Some of the individuals of this family are by far the largest of 

 all the Heteroptera. In the Tropics its representatives attain the 

 length of four to five inches, but with us the largest species, 

 Benacus griseus, rarely reaches three inches. All live in water, 

 hiding in vegetation and lying in wait for their prey, which con- 

 sists of other insects, small fish, tadpoles, etc. In fish hatcheries 

 they have been known to cause considerable losses by getting into 

 the troughs and destroying the young fish. The larger forms, 

 Benacus and Lethocerus, are known popularly as "electric-light 

 bugs." The bright glare of this form of illumination seems to 

 have a great attraction for them, and they are to be found on 

 favorable nights helplessly flapping their wings in vain attempts to 

 rise from the ground, or furiously whirling around the arcs to 

 dash themselves dizzily to earth, there to kick and scramble. The 

 smaller Belostomas have not to my knowledge been recorded under 

 these conditions. Our native species have a striking peculiarity — 

 while in the nymphal stage they have two claws on the anterior 

 tarsi but at the last moult they shed them, to go through adult life 

 with only one. All secrete a poisonous saliva, which is injected 

 into their victims, rapidly narcotizing, and eventually killing them. 

 In proportion to their size they are very strong, as any one can 

 test by letting one grip a twig and then trying to get it away. 



Key to Genera. 



1. Anterior femora sulcate 2 



Anterior femora not sulcate Benacus 



2. Large species; elongate; tylus not produced or bluntly prominent 



Lethocerus 

 Small species ; oval ; tylus triangularly produced Belostoma 



