358 



TRANSFORMATIONS OF INSECTS. 



and above it, on the leaves, a perfect insect may be seen crawling 

 out of the skin of the nymph preparatory to taking flight. 



The Agrionidcz have slender bodies, and the abdomen is cylin- 

 drical, and in the shape of a rod. They are usually very small 

 dragon flies, and there is a very common one whose males are 

 of a beautiful blue metallic colour, with a greenish-blue band on 

 the wings, and whose females are of a most brilliant green colour. 



When we compare some of the members of the family of the 



METAMORPHOSES OF THE COMMON ANT LION. [MyrmekoH formkarlum.) 



Myrmclconidcs, or Ant Lions, with the dragon flies, there does 

 not appear to be much difference between them, and there are 

 really very close affinities between the two families, so far as 

 their adults or perfect insects are concerned. But there are 

 very considerable distinctions to be noticed in the nature of the 

 metamorphosis and the habits of the larvae. The MyrmdcojiidcB 

 live on dry land in their early conditions of life. They undergo 

 complete metamorphoses, and their larvae, which are short, squat, 

 and always carnivorous, are not in the least like the perfect insects. 



