684 



XEUROPTEEA. 



It is ti rather large insect, the head and mouth-parts measur- 

 ing thirty-nine millimetres, the three thoracic rings twenty- 

 eight millimetres, and the part preserved of the right upper 

 wing forty-four millimetres, and of the right under wing fifty- 

 one millimetres. The antenme are long and thread-like, as in 

 Panorpa, and the venation of the wings are of the Nenropter- 

 ous type, while the elongated mouth-parts are Ilemipterous in 

 appearance, though the labial palpi (A e) are well developed, 

 being usually absent in the Ilemiptera. It is the most puz- 

 zling form j-et brought to light, and has been compared by 

 Dr. Dohrn to the fossil Archaeopteryx of the Solenhofen slates, 

 referred by some naturalists to the birds, and by others to the 

 reptiles. 



We have shown elsewhere * that the Neuropterous families, 

 except the most typical, i.e., the Ephemeridce and Libel/ H- 

 lidoe, mimic every other suborder of insects. They are in 

 fact comprehensive or synthetic types, combining, as do all 

 clecephalized, embryonic forms, the structures of the other sub- 

 orders of insects, and thus presenting, in advance, features 

 Avliich remind us of characters more fully wrought out in higher 

 and inure compactly finished groups of insects. 



As regards the preservation of the dragon-flies, Mr. Uhler 

 states that '-the large, brilliant green dragon-flies (Cordu- 

 lina), as well as the yellow, brown-striped Gomphina, having 

 the eyes wide apart, will furnish new species in almost all parts 

 of the country. In order to preserve specimens in the neatest 

 manner it is well to slip them immediately, when caught, into 

 paper bags of suitable size ; first taking care to lay back the 

 wings so that they will be applied together, to prevent mutila- 

 tion. These paper bags may be placed loosely in a box carried 

 for the purpose. They can thus be taken out at leisure, killed 

 by applying a camel's hair pencil, dipped in sulphuric ether, 

 chloroform, or benzine, to the under side of the body, and then 

 have the wings spread by placing them upon the setting 



to (lie Orthoptera, and which serve to unite the two suborders more intimately 

 than ever. Indeed entomologists in the future may unite the Orthoi>tera ami 

 Keuroptera (in the Linunean sense) into a single suborder equivalent to the Coleop 

 tern or Hyinenoptera, and these two groups may stand as two subordinate divi- 

 sions just as the ' Homoptera " and Ilemiptera " are subdivisions of the Lin- 

 iiii-nn group of Hemiptera. 



* Journal of the Boston Society of Natural History, viii, p. 590. 



