6 NEW ZEALAND NEUEOPTEBA. 



gradually taper from base to apex. They are white in colour, and appear 

 to be partially articulated. The legs of the larva are very strong. 



This larva grows extremely slowly, and it is quite 

 possible that it occupies more than a year in reaching 

 maturity. It is capable of travelling considerable dis- 

 tances on land, especially towards the end of its larval 

 life. At this period, it is, in fact, quite impossible to con- 

 fine the insects in a shallow vessel, as they will imme- 

 diately climb out of the water in order to get away. 



When about to change into the imago, this larva 

 leaves the water and clings firmly to a stone or the stem 

 of some plant, generally near the edge of the stream. 

 The skin then dries and cracks open at the back, and the 

 perfect insect makes its escape, drying and expanding its 

 wings in the usual manner. The empty skins of the 

 larvse are often seen after the insect has emerged, and are 

 then very conspicuous. Sometimes they are met with a. 

 considerable distance away from the water, showing that 

 the larva must have travelled a long way from its native 

 element before emerging. These skins are, in fact, occa- 

 sionally found clinging to the stems of trees four or five 

 feet above the ground, the trees themselves being situated 

 perhaps ten or fifteen yards away from the bank of the 

 river or stream. 



The perfect fly is most abundant in November and 

 December, but few specimens being found as late as 

 January. It flies somewhat feebly at evening dusk, when 

 it is readily seen and captured. It is often extremely 

 common in the neighbourhood of rivers, especially during 

 the early part of December. The beautiful green colour 

 of the fore-wings is very protective to the insect when 

 resting amongst foliage during the day ; hence specimens 

 are seldom detected at this time. Unfortunately the 

 green colour fades very much in the dead insect, a series 

 of dried specimens giving but a poor idea of the appear- 

 ance of this interesting species when alive. 



STENOPERLA (?) CYRENE. 



Chloroperla cyrene, Newman, Zoologist, vol. 3, p. 853 

 (1845). Perla (?) cyrene, Walker, Cat. Neuroptera Brit. 

 Mus., p. 168 (1852) ; McLachlan, Trans. N.Z. Inst., 

 vol. vi.. App., p. xcii. 



(Plate VI., fig. 7.) 



This species has occurred in the neighbourhood of 



