HEMIPTERA-HETEROPTERA. <S7 



The Hydrometrina are few in number, and are able to 

 walk or run on the surface of ditches and pools of stagnant 

 water with as much facility as if it were solid ground. The 

 surface of their bodies is protected from the wetting action 

 of the water as perfectly as if varnished. One of our com- 

 monest species is Hydvometra stagnorum, which is occasionally 

 abundant, resting on stones and walking on the water. 



Amongst this family is included a curious little species 

 named Aepophiliis bonnairei, which is to be found on our 

 coast on rocks and under stones and shingle at about low- water 

 mark. It was taken in Jersey by Mr. J. Sinel in 1882, and on 

 enquiry he found that only one instance of its occurrence 

 had been recorded before, from the island of Rhe in the Bay 

 of Biscay in 1879. Mr. E. D. Marquand subsequently took 

 specimens on the coast of West Cornwall and also in Guernsey, 

 and I have had the good fortune to capture one specimen this 

 autumn. This species is destitute of wings, and the puzzle 

 is how respiration is carried on when the tide covers the 

 locality where it occurs. Dr. Koehler, a French naturalist 

 of some note, is of opinion that it is able to suspend the 

 function of respiration entirely during submergence. For 

 fuller particulars and magnified figures of this remarkable 

 insect, I must refer you to Mr. J. Sinel's paper in Science 

 Oossijy for March, 1886, and Mr. E. D. Marquand's paper in 

 the same journal for January, 1887. 



The second section is called Gvyplocerata, and all the 

 species live in the water ; they include the water-boatmen or 

 boat-flies ( Notonecta and Corixa) which are very abundant 

 in ponds and ditches. These insects swim back downwards 

 and propel themselves along by using their two long hind 

 legs as oars. 



The Water Scorpions, so called from the peculiarity of 

 their appearance, although they have no affinity with 

 Scorpions proper, crawl about the mud at the bottom of ponds 

 and are very blood-thirsty and voracious. In tropical 

 countries where species occur of very large dimensions, their 

 attacks are by no means confined to the larvse of aquatic 

 insects, but frogs and other animals are seized and devoured 

 by these formidable insects. 



The Hemiptera of this island long ago attracted my 

 attention from the beauty of their colouring and markings 

 and the peculiar shape of many of the 'species. 



I have lost no opportunity of securing all the specimens 

 that came in my way and have succeeded in getting together 

 more than sixty species. Finding that several of my captures 



