62 
PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
Inhabits the banks of rivers, throughout the summer, gliding among the wet 
gravel, its silky down protecting it from the wet. It takes flight readily, even off 
the surface of water. The yellowish larvae and pupae are found in the same situ¬ 
ation, leaping like the perfect insect. 
Herrich Schaeffer, the first describer, has pronounced no opinion on the affinities 
of this insect. Meyer doubtingly refers it to the Capsidce , influenced probably by 
the supposed want of ocelli, which both these authors have overlooked. It seems 
to me better to place it, for the present, with the Lygeidce , in a peculiar section, 
next the Anthocorini , and approaching, perhaps, to the Capsidce , with both of 
which it has considerable likeness in the wings ; although the dilated and imbricated 
sutural margin of the hemelytra is peculiar to it, and the rather short, detached 
proboscis makes some approach to the structure of the Reduvidce. On the whole, 
Xylocoris is probably the nearest allied native genus. In its habits it most resembles 
the Saldce , but shuns the light more than they do. 
Ord. —DIPTERA. 
Fam. — chironomid,®. 
Gen.— clunio. 
Proboscis obsoleta. 
Antennas 11-articulate, articulis 3tio et ultimo elongatis. 
Ale alutacee, venis longitudinalibus furcatis binis, transversis nullis. 
Tarsi postici articulo tertio subelongato. 
Clunio marinus, pi. 2, fig. 4. 
Long f, Exp. § lines. Head rounded, dusky ferruginous, concealed under the 
projecting front of thorax, the mouth inflected to the prosternum. Eyes round, 
composed of few facets, with some hairs interspersed, approximate on the face. 
Antenne inserted near the mouth, shorter than the thorax, 11-jointed, whitish, the 
3rd joint elongated, the others short and more dusky, the last again elongated 
and thickened, elliptical. Proboscis obsolete, only the lower margin of the head 
scalloped, the rounded lateral lobes a little hairy at the tip, perhaps representing 
palpi, and the intermediate divided lobe the labium. Thorax dusky ferruginous, 
with the scutellum and pleurae yellowish ; oblong, a little compressed ; the mesono- 
tum tripartite by two impressed parallel longitudinal lines, an elevated line down 
the middle, ending in the depression before the scutellum; this convex, semicir¬ 
cular ; metathorax very short; mesosternum gibbous backwards. Legs rather 
short, compressed, dingy white, pubescent; the hind tibiae at the tip, and the hind 
tarsi ciliated. Fore coxa twisted, the trochanter toothed, and the base of the femur 
curved. Tibiae blackish at the very base, armed at the tip with a minute black 
pointed spur. Anterior tarsi with the first joint linear, the following ones short 
suborbiculate, the last ovate; hind tarsus with the first and third linear, the 
second oblong, half as long as the third, the fourth short suborbiculate. Un¬ 
gues dusky; empodium apparently dilated more than the onychia. Posterior 
coxae extending backwards under the base of the abdomen. Wings oblong, with 
the axillary sinus semicircular, and the anal angle strong ; the membrane adiapha- 
nous, dingy whitish, microscopically stippled, glabrous, only the margin finely 
pubescent. The veins faint, the first* ending a little before the middle of the costa, the 
nextf is forked opposite the end of the first, the posterior branch running to the tip, 
the anterior ending not far before it; another^ runs to the posterior margin, becom¬ 
ing forked beyond the middle, with the posterior branch§ curved, and another very 
faint simple vein|| accompanies the course of this. Halteres whitish. Abdomen 
scarcely as long as the thorax, gradually widened behind, of 7 segments, dusky, 
with a hoary bloom, and a pearly gloss on the posterior segments. Hypopygium 
as long as the abdomen, and thicker, fusco-ferruginous, with yellowish silky down, 
and composed of an oblong plate below, rounded at the tip, and a pair of massive 
compressed lateral arms, with a double ridge beneath, and rounded at the tip, 
where they are articulated to a smaller compressed piece, dilated at the tip, and 
truncated (mallet-shaped). The female unknown. 
* Radial. 
t Prsebracliial. 
J Pobrachial. 
§ Subanal. 
Anal, 
