4G0 NOTES ON VARIOUS INSECTS. 



example in reference to comparative anatomy : an importance 

 which appeared to me still greater when, on analyzing a tadpole 

 not yet transformed, I satisfied myself that nature has not 

 varied her plan of organization. In these, as in the tadpoles, 

 which live in water, the intestines were of a length very dis- 

 proportioned to the body : now if this length was necessary to 

 the latter, which live upon vegetable substances, it was alto- 

 gether useless to those which are to undergo their metamor- 

 phosis in the belly of the mother ; and thus nature has followed 

 the march prescribed to her by a uniformity of construction, 

 and without deviations from it, has admitted a single exception, 

 a real hiatus, well worthy the attention of the philosophical 

 naturalist." — P. 31. 



Art. XLIV. — Notes on various Insects. By Ionicus. 



{Continued from page 879.) 



16. Myrmeleonidce were common in the Ionian Isles during 

 the summer months. The earliest and smallest species ap- 

 peared about April 17th. Having captured several of these in 

 the perfect state, I was induced to look for the larva, and on 

 the 19th, on the sea-shore, found several of a larger species, 

 which appeared to have been not very long developed from the 

 egg state, as they were nearly smooth, and preyed only on the 

 smaller species of ants. They were then not nearly so expert 

 in gaining their livelihood as they afterwards became, their 

 prey frequently escaping after falling into the pit, and within 

 reach of their jaws. Having frequently destroyed its pit, the 

 specimen I kept would not rebuild it, but lurked in the sand. 

 On May 16th, I missed it, and digging up the sand, found it 

 at the depth of two inches in a hollow cavity, in which it 

 probably changed its skin, as on the 19th it had returned 

 above ground, and was lurking in its usual manner. On the 

 morning of the same day I found several larger larvae, exactly 

 resembling the one I kept, except in size : their pits were about 

 two inches deep and two and a half inches in diameter, and 

 were close to the train of a large black ant. I took one of 

 them home and put it into the tumbler with my former friend, 

 and some of the ants, when it immediately constructed a pit, 

 and devoured several of the ants. I should observe that the 



