CiMiciD^. INSECTS. Reduviid^. 
266 
leg magnified is the fore leg. The other figure, h, shows 
the head, one of the antenua, and a part of the thorax. 
The first volume of Mr. Dallas’s admirable catalogue 
Fig. 166. 
Chaerocydnus foveolatus. 
of the Hemiptera in the British Museum contains 
descriptions of these two families, with many outline 
figures of the genera. 
Families— COREID.® and LYGiEIDiE. 
Fig. 167 represents the Derepteryx Grayii, from the 
mountains of India. 
One of the handsomest species of the family is the 
Diacfor foUacea, a large beautiful fellow, with green 
elytra and thorax, the thorax lineated with yellow. 
Its hind legs have the tibiae curiously dilated, and they 
are coloured with red and yellow. Should it fall into 
water its flat legs enable it to float. It is a common 
species in Brazil. 
Plate 8, fig. 2, shows the pretty red and black 
Lygceiis punclum, with the white dot on the end of its 
hemelytron. Fig. 5 of that plate shows tlie pretty 
slender Berytus tipularius. 
The learned Swedish naturalist Sparrman, a pupil of 
Linnaeus, visited South Africa and discovered many new 
and curious subjects both in the animal and vegetable 
kingdoms. Among the former was a curious member 
of this family.* He relates that on one of his excur- 
sions at the Cape, as he was seeking shelter from the 
sultry sun under the branches of a large shrub, he 
* Oimex paradoxus of Sparrman — Phyllomorplia paradoxa of 
modern authors. 
observed this insect. It attracted his notice by falling 
from the branch; at first he took it for a little pale 
crumpled leaflet. Great was his surprise to find a 
curious live insect creeping on the ground, like a 
small piece of withered leaf with its edges turned up 
and gnawed b}' caterpillars, while it was closely stuck 
over with prickles. The insect has been frequently 
found since Sparrman’s time, and is now, with others of 
its congeners, well known to them under the name of 
Phyllomorplia (Leaf-shape). It is of a tawny yellow hue, 
varied with different shades of brown and red, and 
is not quite half an inch in length. Two species of the 
genus have been met with in Southern Europe. On 
Plate 8, fig. 4, is figured the Phyllomorplia paradoxa, 
or Syromastes paradoxus, as it is named on the plate. 
Families— CIMICIDiE and TINGID^. 
The Bed-bug {Cimex lectularius) was formerly a rare 
insect in this country. Old Mouffet mentions, that in 
1503 two ladies were thrown into a state of great alarm 
by the appearance of bug-bites upon them ; till their 
physician, who was a naturalist, explained to them the 
insect cause of their being spotted, they were afraid 
that they had the symptoms of the plague! Their fears 
were turned into laughter when they saw the little flat- 
tened insects, whose nocturnal attacks had marked 
them. Kirby and Spence tell us that their original 
name in English was Chinche or Wall-louse. The 
name Bug was not applied to them till after John 
Ray wrote. It is a Celtic word signifying a ghost or 
goblin, and was given to them most probably because 
they were considered as “ terrors by night.”* They 
are difficult of eradication when they get into houses. 
On Plate 8, fig. 1 , is figured the Dictyonota or Tingis 
vinarum. Some of the Tingidm, if on a larger scale, 
would arrest the attention of any one by their exquisite 
beauty. 
The Capsi and Phytocoris group are very numerous. 
Family — REDUVIIDHU. 
A large and important family. 
The Reduvius personatus derives its name of pei'- 
sonalus, i.e., “ the masked,” from the insect in its larva 
and pupa states being covered with dirt, even on the 
legs and antennae, so as to alter its appearance. This 
dirt consists of the dust, fragments of wool or cotton, 
and such matters as fly about rooms. It is preda- 
ceous, and is glad to make a meal of that much hated 
relation the bed-bug. It is not an uncommon British 
species. 
The forms of Reduviidae are most various. But to 
Eulyes Petalocheirus, &c., we can only refer. Bishop 
Heber was evidently much annoyed by Hemiptera in 
the East. Pie says : — 
“One of the greatest plagues we have as jmt met with 
in this journey is tliat of the winged bugs. In shape, 
size, and scent, with the additional faculty of flying, 
they resemble the odoriferous genus too well-known in 
England. They came out in hundreds and thousands 
* In some of the old versions of the Bihle Ps. xci. 5 is trans- 
lated, “ Thou shalt not need to fear any hngs by night.” 
