360 AUSTRALIAN NECROPTERA, 



These were very soon captured by the neuropters striking out with 

 their hind legs; a fly enfolded on the stick}^ spiny tarsi was held 

 in a vice-like grip, while the leg curled round under the head; 

 and in a ver}^ short time it was sucked dry and dropped on the 

 bottom of the jar. 



F. Brauer has given an account of the insect-catching habit of 

 the common European species {Bittaciis tipvlariufi, Fabr.).^ 



Glenurus pulchellus, Rambur. 



Myrmehon pulchellus, Ramb., Hist. Nat. Ins. Neurop. 408, 

 1842. 



This is the commonest Australian species of ant-lion, and has 

 a 'wide range over New South Wales and Queensland. The 

 perfect insects are generally found resting on grass stalks or twigs 

 in open forest country, with their wings folded down over the 

 body. When disturbed they flit along with a very awkward 

 motion as if the wings were too big for the body, so that they 

 are very easily run down and captured. 



Length of bod}'- 1 inch; expanse of wings 2^ inches. 



General colour chocolate-brown, mottled and marbled with 

 light brown; face below the eyes, a line between them, under- 

 surface of head, thorax, and base of abdomen 3'ellow; antenme 

 dark reddish-brown, at the base and near the tip marked with 

 dull orange. Legs light brown, mottled with black. Forewings 

 semitransparent, thickly covered with a fine network of nervures, 

 mottled and shaded with black, forming a distinct spot at the 

 stigma; all the nervures clothed with little hairs, finest along the 

 front margin; hind wings similar in form, with the apical portion 

 deeply blotched with chestnut-brown, enclosing a double or con- 

 fluent white spot, with another small spot at the tip. 



The larva of this species is, I believe, the common ant-lion 

 found forming funnel-shaped pits in sand under the shelter of 



* Bauer, " Ueber die Lebensweise cles liittanis f//)»Zrt>•//^^•," Fabi., Verb, 

 z.-b. Ver. in Wien, iii., 1853, p. 151. 



