As space has its exigencies—and long may it continue to have—I will here merely mention such names as _Gyrinus_, _Dytiscus_, _Hydrobius_, _Donacia_, etc., “and let _them_ speak for me,” but having paid some attention to the great water-beetle, silence in regard to the giant water-bug would be hardly gracious, and might be ill taken. This terrific creature is like a monstrous exaggeration of our own water-scorpion, to which it bears a distorted, but real resemblance, minus, however, the long ovipositor—the so-called tail behind. Its appearance is not to be described. Like other bugs, and as are the aphides and cicadas for less cruel purposes, it is armed with a long, sharp-pointed beak, through which, having plunged it into the body of its prey, on whose back it has previously leaped, it sucks the life-juices, holding on, all the while, with its two curved, claw-like front legs. Its strength is in accordance with its size, and both are such that it finds no one in its own circle, so to speak, at all capable of contending with it. “It is the facile master of the ponds and estuaries of the tidal creeks and rivers of the Atlantic States,” says Uhler. “Developing in the quiet pools, secreting itself beneath stones or rubbish, it watches the approach of a _Pomotis_, mud-minnow, frog, or other small-sized tenant of the water, when it darts with sudden rapidity upon its unprepared victim, grasps the creature with its strong, clasping fore-legs, plunges its deadly beak deep into the flesh, and proceeds with the utmost coolness to leisurely suck its blood. A copious supply of saliva is poured into the wound, and no doubt aids in producing the paralysis which so speedily follows its puncture in small creatures.”[145] Another American water-bug of similar build, but much smaller size, has the same general habits, to which it adds the more special one of carrying about its eggs on its back, where, in time, they are hatched, but do not, it would appear—though this seems somewhat out of harmony with the practical spirit of nature—proceed at once to suck their parent’s blood, an omission which, as it would be a most moving instance of unselfish surrender on the part of the latter, is, perhaps, to be regretted. Possibly the reason is that the eggs are not fixed upon the right back, so that even were this _dénouement_ to take place, we should not have an instance of maternal, but only of paternal affection. This, for some reason, is not so effective as the other, and therefore Nature, who, as we know, is a consummate artist, may not care to waste her materials on an inferior situation.