608 



NEUROPTERA. 



The genus Rapliidia is not aquatic in its habits as it is found 

 under the bark of trees pursuing small insects. The adult has 

 a long neck (prothorax) , which is much narrower than the head, 

 and the antennae are short and filiform, while the ovipositor of 

 the female is long and ensifoi'm, probably enabling it to deposit 

 its eggs in the chinks in the bark. The larva is long and 



slender; before 

 transforming it 

 makes no cocoon. 

 At first the pupa 

 is inactive, but 

 according to Mr. 

 Water house 

 (Westwood's In- 

 troduction), it be- 

 come s active 

 while the imago 

 skin is develop- 

 ing, and walks 

 about, as the pu- 

 pa skin is exceed- 

 ingly thin. The 

 genus is only 

 found on the Pa- 

 cific coast of this 

 continent, anoth- 

 er proof of the 

 analogy of the in- 

 sect fauna of the 

 Western shores 

 of this country 

 to that of P^urope, 

 where this genus 

 also abounds. 



Fig. 595. 



In their form and habits, including both those of the larva, 

 and of the partially active pupa, which wiggles violently and 

 even leaps, as the larva does, as stated b}^ Percheron, whom 

 Mr. West wood quotes (jouit de la meme faculte de contorsion et 

 de sauts, que la larve execute a un si Jiaut degre), have we not 

 brought forcibly before us the Thysanura? 



