NERVE WINGED INSECTS 



I \cNrnp1cra) 



There was a time before all li\iii^ things were classified, when there were 

 no groujis of plants or animals or insects. It is something to be proud of that 

 man has grouped the likes together and formed, out of the chaos of living 

 species, a system into which most of them can go like letters into pigeon- 

 holes. Is it any wonder that with halt a million species in this insect world 

 there should be some groups in which the species forming them seem to have 

 very little likeness to each other? The ner\e-winged insects seem to form 

 just such a group, for the principal things they have in common seem to he 

 peculiar nerve-veined wings and blood-thirsty habits. 



If we could be quite sure that dragon-flies and scorpion-flies and caddis-flies 

 preyed only upon our foes, we could say with more confidence than we do now, 

 that they are our friends and not our enemies, and that men should find some 

 means by which to help increase the number of them in the world. 



It is conceivable that, as we learn more about them, they may take a much 

 more imjiortant place in public esteem, just as insectivorous birds are doing. 

 Perhaps they will come to be protected and their breeding places guarded by 

 the drainage engineers. 



[itti; 



