28 NEW ZEALAND NEUROPTERA. 



p. 270; Iclithybotus hudsoni, Eaton, Trans. Ent. Soc. 

 Lond., 1899, p. 285. 



(Plate V., fig. 4 <? , 5 ? , 6 3 sub-imago, 7 ? ditto r 

 8 nymph, magnified.) 



Hitherto this fine May-fly has been taken only in the 

 neighbourhood of Wellington, but it is not at all likely 

 that the insect is restricted to this locality alone. It is 

 probably generally distributed throughout the North 

 Island, and most likely it occurs in parts of the South 

 Island also. 



The expansion of the wings of the male is lg inches, of the female 

 1£ inches. In the male the general colour of the body is dark reddish- 

 brown. The costal margin of the fore-wings is edged with dull red between 

 the first two longitudinal veins. The remainder of the wings is transparent. 

 There are two tails which are nearly twice the length of the body. The 

 anterior legs are as long as the body, the other two pairs being stouter and 

 very much shorter. The female is stouter than the male ; the general colour 

 of the body is bright orange-brown, the wings are bright yellow, fading some- 

 what after death. The costal margin is bordered with dull red as in the 

 male. The anterior pair of legs are less than half the length of the body, 

 and rather stout. There are three tails, the two outer ones are not quite so 

 long as the body, and the middle tail is slightly shorter than the others. 



The larva of this insect inhabits the soft, sandy mud 

 near the margins of rivers and streams. It lives in a 

 cylindrical barrow dug out of the mud, and in order to 

 keep a supply of fresh water in its dwelling it is constantly 

 waving its abdomen up and down. The gills are almost 

 incessantly moving. They vibrate with a peculiar wavy 

 motion, which appears to start near the thorax and pass 

 downwards along the insect. The food of the larva 

 apparently consists of mud, the vegetable particles 

 existing therein probably affording it the necessary 

 nourishment. 



The length of the larva when full grown is about 1£ inches. The- 

 head is dull reddish-brown. The mandibles are rather long and but 

 slightly curved at the tips. The anterior legs are very strong, and appa- 

 rently used for digging. The other legs are stout and short. The antennas 

 are rather long and very thin. The thorax and wing-pads are dark brown ;. 

 the abdomen is dingy white. Gills are present on each side of the first 

 six segments of the abdomen. Each gill is double, and is fringed with 

 numerous long blackish hairs (see Plate XI., fig. 14). There are three 

 moderately long anal appendages, each of which is broadly fringed with 

 hair. The whole larva is also covered with short hair. 



This larva is difficult to find, as it is nearly always so 

 enveloped in mud as to be quite unrecognisable. Hence 

 specimens can only be obtained by carefully examining 



