ANT-LIONS, LACEWING-FLIES, dx. 47 



soft, wet mud, or sand, beneath the stone, and carefully 

 smooths it within. During the course of a few days the 

 larva becomes somewhat shrivelled, and after a week or so 

 sheds its skin and appears as a pupa. This habit of 

 leaving the water, just at the time when the shrinkage in 

 the volume of the rivers occurs, is no doubt very beneficial 

 to the insect as, unlike many other neuropterous pupae, 

 it is able to imbibe air and thus escape destruction by 

 drought. 



The pupa of C. dire is us, in its natural curved position, measures about 

 1 inch in length. Its limbs closely resemble those of the perfect insect, 

 except the wings which are, of course, rudimentary. The larval gills are 

 replaced by a series of wart-like projections, situated on each side of the 

 first eight segments of the abdomen. 



This pupa is not endowed with the power of locomo- 

 tion until shortly before it undergoes its final transforma- 

 tion. About this time the legs are gradually stretched 

 out, and in a few days are sufficiently powerful to enable 

 the insect to leave its prison in the earth and walk about. 

 Shortly afterwards the skin is cast off, and the perfect fly 

 ascends the stem of some plant, and dries and expands 

 its wings. 



The imago appears from the middle of November until 

 the middle of January. It is seldom seen in the daytime, 

 but is usually observed at evening dusk, flying in rather 

 a slow and laborious manner. It is sometimes fairly 

 abundant, especially in the neighbourhood of rivers. 

 When on the wing this large insect is not conspicuous, 

 unless seen against the bright glow of the evening sky ; 

 and it is still less noticeable in the daytime whilst resting 

 on tree-trunks or amongst foliage. 



Family IX.— PANORPIDiE— SCORPION-FLIES. 



No species belonging to this family have been found 

 in New Zealand at present. 



Family X.— HEMEROBTIDvE— ANT-LIONS, 

 LACEWING-FLIES, &c. 



" Head vertical ; maxilla free with five-jointed palpi ; 

 labial palpi three-jointed. Wings sub-equal in size, with 

 much reticulation, without anal area. Tarsi five-jointed. 

 Metamorphosis great; the larvce with mandibles and 



