HEMIPTERA. 
*33 
many of them the female fastens her eggs on the top of the 
back of the male with a thin layer of waterproof glue which 
she secretes for this purpose. 
Family NAUCORID^E (Nau-cor'i-dae). 
The Creeping Water-bugs. 
This is a small family containing water-bugs of a moder¬ 
ate size, in which the front legs are fitted for grasping and 
the middle and hind legs for walking. They are flat-bodied, 
chiefly oval insects, and without appendages at the hind end 
of the body. 
The members of this family are predaceous ; and, accord¬ 
ing to Professor Uhler, they are fond of reedy and grassy, 
quiet waters, where they creep about like the Predaceous 
Diving-beetles, creeping and half swimming around and be¬ 
tween the leaves and sprays of the submerged plants, and 
suddenly seizing any unlucky water-boatman or other insect 
that happens to be within reach. 
Figure 153 represents Pelocoris femorata (Pe-loc'o-ris 
fem-o-ra'ta), the only species found in the States on 
the Atlantic coast. Several other species are found 
in the Western States. These belong to the genus 
Ambrysus ( Am-bry'sus), which differs from Pelocoris 
in having the front margin of the prothorax very 
sinuate. 
# 
FiG.153.— 
Pelocoris. 
deeply 
Family Galgulid^E (Gal-gu'li-das). 
The Toad-shaped Bugs. 
There is sometimes found on the muddy margins of 
streams or in marshes, where the soil is moist, a curious bug, 
which on account of its short and broad body and projecting 
eyes reminds one of a toad ; this is Galgulus oculatus (Gal'gu* 
