Page:The Book of the Aquarium and Water Cabinet.djvu/151

Rh them from the water (Kirby). The anterior legs are long, and formed for walking or to act as instruments of prehension; the four hinder ones are very short, and ciliated externally, bearing a strong resemblance to the paddle of an oar. The hinder legs are capable of a free oar-like action, which render this gyrinus the most expert of swimmers, and the circular movements are accomplished by the more rapid action of the oars on one side than on the other. So equipped, the whirlwig leads a merry life; he skates away from morning to night, never in fear of being drowned, and seemingly never tired.

the Cuvierian arrangement the land and water bugs stand between the true beetles and butterflies, and in those members of the order which possess wings, the chief characteristic is, that the anterior pair fold nearly horizontally, partly lapping over each other, and are of a leathery texture at the base. The majority of the members of the order are inhabitants of tropical climates, and some of them display colours equal to those of the true beetles. Not a few have the power of emitting powerful odours, in