510 
Observations on the various Insects 
parents in its larva and pupa states. These bugs belong to tlie 
Order Hemiptera, the Family CoREiDiE, and the Genus MiRis 
of Fabricius. The specific name, owing to its being attached to 
the wheat, is 
14. M. Tritici.* Male, tawny-ochreous, long and narrow; 
antennte longer than the body, inserted before the eyes, setaceous, 
pubescent and four-jointed, parallel at the base, the first joint 
stoutest, blackish at the base beneath, forming a stiipe outside, 
second twice as long, third much shorter, fourth the shortest and 
fuscous; the rostrum is inflected and almost half as long as the 
body, four-jointed, blackish at the tip : head subovate, the centre 
a little projecting, and leaving two shoulders for the insertion of 
the antennae ; it is sulphureous with a deep channel at the base, 
a large slate-black patch on the crown, and a spot on each side 
of the base of the same colour ; eyes small, oval, lateral, and 
prominent ; ocelli none : thorax oblong, narrowed before, the hinder 
angles rounded, sulphureous, w ith two black lines down the centre, 
and one on either side tapering behind; scutellum moderately 
large, ovate-triffonate, acute and slate-black, with the edges and a 
line down the middle sulphureous : abdomen flat, linear, and 
margined, obtuse at the ape.x, slate-back above, silky grey beneath : 
elytra or superior wings coriaceous, considerably longer than ihe 
body, linear in repose, pale sulphur coloured, the interior portion 
brown with a slate-coloured stripe on each near the base, leaving a 
pale costal margin ; membrane fuscous, with an elliptical cell at 
the base; inferior wings ample, folded in repose, with several faint 
brown nervures, transparent, very iridescent ; hinder legs very long; 
four anterior thighs spotted with brown beneath ; shanks simple, 
slender, and hairy ; feet triarticulate, basal joint tlie longest and 
stoutest ; second rather shorter than the third ; claws slender and 
simple (pi. O, fig. 14 ; v, the natural length). Female similar to 
the male, but shorter and broader, entirely of an ochreous tint, 
excepting the black abdomen, which is conical and ochreous at the 
apex, with a long suture beneath to receive the ovipositor; tho 
reflexed sides are orange-coloured ; the antennae and legs are a 
little stouter and shorter. ^ 
I have often met with this Mirisw^ow grasses in marshes, in the 
vicinity of the sea-coast, in company with M. erraticus f of Lin- 
naeus, of which it may be only a variety. 
Another species is exceedingly abundant in barley-fields, and 
upon the long grasses in flower on their borders. Towards the 
end of last June there were multitudes of the pupae and imago in 
the fields surrounding Wilton and Salisbury : they are, in all pro- 
* Curtis's Brit. Ent., fol. and pi. 701, where 12 species are referred to. - 
A figure of the male is represented flying, and dissections are given, 
t Urit. Eiit., I'oi. and pi. 701 ; and Curtis's Guide, Gen. loyS). 
