100 



Genus XXXVI. NOTONECTA. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Antenna shorter than the thorax. Rostrum in- 

 flected. Wings four, coriaceous from the 

 base to the middle, crossed over each other. 

 Hind feet edged with hairs, and formed for 

 swimming. 



General Observations. 



The Notonectae are aquatic insects, inha- 

 biting standing waters and sluggish rivers. They 

 swim on their back, and generally in an in- 

 clined position. Unless disturbed they remain 

 upon the surface of the water ; but on the ap- 

 proach of danger, they immediately disappear, 

 though they cannot remain any great length of 

 time without coming to the top to breathe. 

 They frequently creep on the water plants and 

 the mud, in search of the smaller insects on 

 which they feed. In the fine warm nights they 

 often land and fly about, sometimes to a con- 

 siderable distance. 



The female lays a great number of white, 



