ORDER IV. NEUROPTERA. 65 



Moths fly abroad only in the evening and during the night, and ob- 

 tain tlieir food from the nectar of flowers. The larva is active and cjiiiek 

 in motion, and preys voraciously on the leaves of plants. 

 Sp. 1. P. Quercus. Bomby.x Quercus, Fabr. {PL 6.Jig. 3.) 



Order IV. NEUROPTERA. 



The insects of this Order have four membranaceous wings, generrdly 

 transparent with strong nervures. At the tail they have often an ap- 

 pendage like pincers, but no sting. 



Genus 54. Libellula, Dragon-fly. 

 ilfo;<if/t armed with jaws, more than two: lip trifid: anlcnna: shorter 



than the thorax; very slender and filiform : wings extended : the tuil 



of the male is furnished with a hooked forceps. 



The insects of this genus are well known ; they are remarkable for a 

 long slender body and wings standing out at right angles. The larva' 

 have six feet, and move with great activity in the water : at the mouth 

 they are furnished with an articulated forceps : they are very voracious, 

 and are the crocodiles of aquatic insects. The larvae and pupse are not 

 very different; the latter have the rudiments of wings: in a fine day in 

 Jime, a person standing by a pond may observe them approach the 

 l)ank for the purpose of changing their element. Having crawled up 

 a blade of grass or bit of dry wood, the skin of the pupa grows 

 parched and splits at the upper part of the thorax. The insect issues 

 forth gradually, throws off" its slough, in a few minutes expands its 

 wings, flutters, and then flies off". The sexual parts in the male are 

 placed under the thorax ; in the female at the extremity of the body. 

 Sp. 1. L. quadrimaculata. (PI. l.fig. 1.) 

 Inhabits the banks of ponds, but is not common. 



Genus 55. Ephemera. 

 Mouth without mandibles : palpi four, very short, and filiform : maxilla 



short, membranaceous, cylindrical, connected with the lip : aniennai 



short, and subidated : tcco lai^ge stemmata above the eyes : uings erect, 



the hind ones very small : setce at the tail. 

 Sp. 1. -E. vulgata. (Pl. l.fg. 2.) 



This is the largest of the British species. In the evenings in the 

 month of June it assembles in vast numbers under trees near waters, 

 and seems to divert itself for hours together, ascending and descending 

 in the air as if dancing. In the neighbourhood of Luz, in Carniola, 

 these insects are produced in such quantities, that when they die they 

 are gathered to manure the land by the country-people, who think they 

 have been unsuccessful if each does not procure twenty cart-loads of 

 them for that purpose. Their larv'ce are the favourite food of fresh- 



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