T. M. MCGREGOR ON HEMIPTERA-HETEROPTERA, ETC. 7 
Familiar examples of the Heteroptera are the common water- 
striders, locally known as “ blind fiddlers,” &c. 
The various kinds of house and field bugs, which all belong to 
the Heteroptera, are said to give out a strong and disagreeable smell, 
and many of them such as the Pentatomidcz^ Lygceidce^ Reduviadce^ 
Nepidce^ and NotonectidcE^ live entirely on animal juices, and to obtain 
their food destroy great numbers of noxious insects. 
The name Homoptera (Greek /lomos, same, and pteron^ a wing) 
signifies “same wings,” the elytra of this genus being uniform through¬ 
out, and not membranous at the apex only, as in the Heteroptera. 
Some species have the wings coriaceous or beetle-like in texture 
throughout, whilst others have them entirely membranous, as in the 
case of the Cixiidcz. When these insects are at rest, the wings usually 
slope roof-like at the sides of the body, and do not overlap as in the 
Heteroptera. The Homoptera are also characterised by the absence 
of a neck, while the rostrum arises from the hinder part of the lower 
side of the head; the legs are formed for jumping, and are clothed 
with strong spines, which greatly assist them. From their habit of 
leaping, springing, or jumping, they have undoubtedly derived the 
name of “ frog-hoppers.” 
The terms Hemiptera-Heteroptera and Hemiptera-Homoptera, 
then, simply signify “Half-winged diverse wings” and “Half-winged 
same wings.” 
The term “ bug ” is often widely applied to any insect which 
creeps or crawls. To an entomologist, however, the name is always 
distinctive of an hemipteron. 
The order Hemiptera is a most important one, and includes many 
insects injurious to vegetation, while some, such as the cochineal, 
china-wax, and lac insects are distinctly beneficial; these latter, how¬ 
ever, belong to the Coccidae. 
The metamorphosis of the Heteroptera and Homoptera is incom¬ 
plete, that is to say, the larvae and nymphs are active, and similar in 
appearance to the mature insect, except that they are devoid of wings, 
or possess them only in an imperfect form. There are some species, 
however, which do not possess wings in the adult form. Both the 
larvae and the nymphs absorb nourishment in the same way as the 
perfect insects. 
A distinguishing characteristic of all bugs is the possession of a 
pointed beak or rostrum, of a hard, horny substance, which serves the 
double purpose of piercing and sucking. This beak consists of four 
jointed bristles, enclosed in a fleshy, jointed sheath; this sheath is 
usually four-jointed, and is never composed of more than that number 
of segments. The beak is also used as a means of offence, and is 
apparently a most effective weapon, some authorities affirming that a 
