THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 227 



than the abdomen ; all four of equal shape, length and venation. The 

 legs are peculiar, the compressed and dilated shape of some parts seem to 

 indicate burrowing legs ; they are strong, long, reaching both ends of the 

 body, the middle legs always less strong ; the three pairs of legs are equi- 

 distant and attached to the ends of the respective segments ; the legs of 

 the first and of the middle pair are as distant from the legs of the opposite 

 side as the size of the sternum will allow them to be ; but the legs of the 

 hind pair are approximate ; coxre small, stronger on hind legs ; femur and 

 tibia about the same length, compressed, inflated ; tarsus about as long as 

 tibia, but the basal joint of the first pair as long as tibia, inflated, curvate, 

 with a superior furrow ; second joint short ; third joint longer, slender 

 with two simple claws. 



Systematic Positio?i of the Faftiily. 



Savigny, Latreille, V. Audouin, Westwood, Burmeister, Rambur, have 

 placed the Embidina near the Termitina. Westwood, 1. c. p. 372, states : 

 " Genus quoad afiinitates, Termites cum Ensthenia Westw., inter Perlidas 

 conjungens." I am sorry that he has not given a more detailed proof of 

 this statement. By comparing Olyntha Brazilie7isis with Eusthenia 

 spectabilis (both insects figured by himself on the same plate in Griftith 

 pi 72), and by comparing a type specimen of Eustheiiia spectabilis^ 

 kindly presented to me by himself, I confess to being at a loss regarding their 

 affinity. jMcLachlan, 1. c. p. 377, goes even further, not thinking the 

 relationship between Termes and Embia so close as has generally been 

 accepted, and that Westwood happily seized upon its position as between 

 the Termitidae and Perlidae. He says that the external form is not 

 always to be disregarded in searching for affinities, and that Embia has 

 much of the external form of the Perlidae, especially of the genus 

 Leuctra. But he has overlooked that certain species of Termes, for 

 instance, T. fiavipes, after having lost its wings is just as agile as Embia 

 and very similar to its wingless forms. Some exotic species, as 

 Sto/otermcs, imitate Embia, even in the winged form. Of course, each 

 family belonging to the Pseudo-neuroptera has some characters in common 

 with Embia, but after the knowledge of the internal female organs, which are 

 exceptionally characteristic for the Perlina, we have to dismiss the opinion 

 of a nearer relationship. Indeed, the slender and elongate form of the 

 body excepted, which is found so common in many insects of 



