. HEXAPODA : NEUROPTERA DRAGON-FLIES, ETC. 337 



The Dragon-flies or Libellulidse (Fig. 457), are among 

 the best representatives of the Neuroptera, and have a 

 long body, exceedingly large eyes, powerful jaws, and 

 large and lustrous wings. In the larva and pupa state 

 they live in the water ; and when the time comes for 

 them to complete their transformation, they crawl up the 

 stems of plants, and, having withdrawn from the pupa 

 skin, which remains fixed to the plant, and having become 

 dry, they fly swiftly away. At all periods of their lite 

 they are exceedingly rapacious, feeding upon all insects 

 which they can capture. 



To the Neuroptera also belong the Horned Corydalis 

 (Fig. 460), and its allies or Sialidae, the Ant-lions (Fig. 461), 

 and other Lace-wings or Hemerobini, and the Caddice- 

 flies or Phryganidse (Fig. 458). 



The Ant-lions are famous for the pitfalls which, while 

 in the larva state, they make in the sands, and at the 

 bottom of which they lie concealed all but the jaws, and 

 there await insects which fall into their pit ; these they at 

 once seize and devour. 



Some kinds of Neuropters are wingless, and are called 

 degradational forms, and closely resemble the Myriapods. 

 Such are the Spring-tails or Thysanura or Poduridae, 

 which have a cylindrical scaly or hairy body, short and 

 four to six jointed antennae, four to eight simple eyes on 

 each side, and whose anal bristles are united and bent 

 under the body, forming a sort of spring by means of 

 which these insects leap. Such also are the Bristle-tails 

 or Lepismatidse, which have a long body covered with 

 silvery-like scales, and the abdomen furnished with three 

 long bristles. They are found among old books and 

 woolens, and also under stones and rubbish in damp 

 situations. 



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