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AN INTRODUCTION TO ENTOMOLOGY 



Panorpa; and, like the scorpion-flies, are found among rank herbage 

 growing on the banks of shaded streams and in damp woods where 

 there is a luxuriant undergrowth of herbaceous plants. When at 

 rest, they do not sit on the surface of foliage as does Panorpa, but 

 hang suspended, by their front legs, from some support (Fig. 683). 

 The members of this genus capture and feed 

 upon living insects. They are enabled to capture 

 their prey by means of their curiously modified 

 tarsi, the last two segments of which are armed 

 with teeth, and the last segment can be folded 

 back against the next to the last segment. In 

 this way there is formed an efficient grasping 

 organ (Fig. 680, b, c). It is an interesting fact 

 that, while in other predacious insects the fore 

 legs are the chief organs of prehension, in Bittacus 

 the hind legs are used for this purpose fully as 

 often as the others, especially when the Bittacus 

 is hanging suspended by its fore legs and captures 

 an insect that comes within reach of it. 



Nine North American species of Bittacus have 

 been described. 



ApteroMttacus . — This genus includes a single 

 known species, Apterobittacus apterus, found in California. It re- 

 sembles Bittacus except that the wings are completely wanting. 



A review of the species of the Mecoptera of America north of 

 Mexico was published by James S. Hine (Hine '01). 



Fig. 683. — Natural 

 position of Bitta- 

 cus. (From Felt.) 





