NEUROPTERA. 1/9 



Living specimens of these insects have been sent to Aus- 

 tialia by our government in the hope of introducing the 

 species there, and thus doing something towards repaying 

 the debt that we owe that country for the Australian Lady- 

 bug, which has rendered us great service in the destruction 

 of the Cottony-cushion Scale in California. 



The family is represented by two genera, Raphidia (Ra- 

 phid'i-a) and Inoccllia (In-o-cel'li-a). In the former there 

 are three simple eyes on the top of the head between the 

 compound eyes ; in the latter these ocelli are wanting. 



Family MANTISPID^E (Man-tis'pi-dae). 

 The ]\Iantis-like Neuroptcra. 



The members of this family are even stranger in appear- 

 ance than the Raphidians. Here, as in that family, the 

 prothorax is greatly elongated ; but the members of this 

 family can be easily recognized by their remarkable fore 

 legs, which are greatly enlarged and resemble those of the 

 Praying Mantes in form (Fig. 

 2 1 8). These legs are fitted for 

 seizing prey; and, in order 

 that they may reach farther 

 forward, they are joined to 

 the front end of the long pro- 

 thorax. In the adult state 

 these insects are predaceous; 

 while the larvae, so far as is F|G 

 known, are parasitic in the 

 egg-sacs of spiders. of the parts " 



Five species of the family are known from the United 

 States ; four of these belong to the genus Mantispa (Man- 

 tis'pa) and one to Sympliasis (Sym/pha-sis). 



