434 



THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 



which the ocelli are small. The antennae are thread-like, 

 but are not furnished with whorls of long hairs (Fig. 507). 

 $ The legs are very long. On the dorsum of the meso' 

 f thorax there is on each side, beginning just in front 

 of the base of the wing, a well-marked suture, like 

 that of the crane-flies; but the two do not meet so 

 as to form a continuous V-shaped suture as in the 

 Tipulidae. 



In some species at least there are two kinds of 

 females, which differ somewhat in the shape of the 

 FIG. 507. head. These two forms also differ in habits, one 

 being blood-sucking, the other feeding upon nectar. 

 The adults may be found resting on the foliage of shrubs 

 and trees on the margins of mountain-brooks, or dancing in 

 the spray of waterfalls. 



The immature forms of these insects are even more 

 wonderful than are the adults. The larvae live in water, in 

 swiftly-flowing streams, where the water flows swiftest. We 

 have observed the transformations of BlepJiarocera capitaia 

 (Bleph-a-roc'e-ra cap-i-ta'ta), which is abundant in some of 

 the ravines near Ithaca, N. Y. 



The larvae of this species are readily seen on account of 

 their black color, and are apt to attract attention on account 

 of their strange form (Fig. 

 508, a). At first sight the body 

 appears to consist of only seven 

 segments, but careful examina- 

 tion reveals the presence of 

 smaller segments alternating 

 with these. Each of the larger 

 segments except the last bears 

 a pair of conical, leg-like appen- 

 dages. On the ventral side of 

 the body (Fig. 508, b) each of 

 the seven larger segments except the last bears a sucker, 

 the cavity of which extends far into the body, and each 



FIG. 508. Bli-f>Jiarocera . a, larva, dor- 

 sal view ; b, larva, ventral view ; c 

 pupanum. 



