( 129 ) 
the fiiape of fins, nor are they ter- 
minated by nails. The four ante- 
rior ones are fomewhat fiat, and 
ferve the animal to Ayini with, but 
at their extremity they hâve nails 
and no hairs. This infeét is feen 
in ftagnating waters, where it fwims 
on its back, and prefents its abdo- 
men upwards; for which reafon it 
bas been callcd by the Greek name 
of Notoneda. The hinder feet, 
loneer than the refb, ferve it as 
O 
paddles. It is very nimble, and 
dives dovvn when you go to take 
hold of it; after which, it rifes 
again to the furface of the water. 
It mufl be cautioufly handled if 
one would avoid being pricked by 
it, for the point of its roftrum is 
exceeding fharp. 
The larva very much refembles 
the perfed infed. 
glcts au bout. Les quatre anté- 
rieures font un peu applaties & fer- 
vent à l’animal pour nager, mais 
elles ont au bout des onolets & 
O 
n’ont point de poils. Oq voit cet 
infcde dans les eaux tranquilles où 
il nage fur le dos, & préfente en 
haut le deifous de fon ventre. C’cfi: 
par cette raifon qu’on lui a donné 
le nom Grec de Notoneda. Ses 
deux pattes de derrière plus longues 
que les autres lui fervent d’avirons. 
Il efi; très vif 5 c s’enfonce quand on 
veut le prendre, après quoi il re- 
monte à la furface de l’eau. Il 
faut le prendre avec précaution pour 
n’en etre pas piqué, car la pointe 
aigue de fa trompe pique très fcic. 
La larve reifemble beaucoup à 
l’infede parfait. 
GENUSy. NEPA. Tab. IX. 
C H A R A C T E R G E N E R I S. 
Iloftrum inflexum. Antennæ Alæ quatuor cruciato-com- 
piicatæ, anticé coriaceæ, Pedes anteriores cheliformes; relîq'ii quatuor 
ambulatorii. Linn. fyft. nat. p. 713. 
yth GENUS. The WATER-SCORPION. Fh IX. 
/ 
CHARACTER OF THE GENUS. 
The roftrum is infleded. The antennæ ^ The four wings 
ate folded together crofs-wife, with the anterîor part coriaceous. The 
L 1 two 
