1910. 57 



question Hagen's definition of the gemis : Differt a Megalomo sectori- 

 bus pluribus, ala apiee acuta, postice excisa. He holds that tlie chief 

 difference is to be found in the anterior cubitus (median) which in 

 DreiMnepteryx is divided into 4-5 parallel branches, which run like 

 the radial sectors ; while, for example, in Megalomus hirtns the same 

 vein simply forks in the first third of the wing, and only breaks up at 

 the margin into two further end-forks, in this respect resembling 

 Hewerobins. Judged by this character, some species, usually con- 

 sidered as belonging to Megalomus, such as M. algidus, would fall to 

 be placed in Brepanepteryx. Brauer has also described and figured 

 the nervous system, the alimentary system, and the female genitalia of 

 Brepianepterijx in his Beiti age /Air Keutniss des inneren Baues und der 

 Verwaudlung der ISTeuropteren, p. 18 (Schriften des zool. bot. Vereins 

 in Wieu, 1855). At p. 24 of the same paper he gives the interesting 

 information that the imago feeds on Lepidoptera whose wing-scales 

 can be cjuite well recognised in the stomach ; the insect was found by 

 him in June and July on elms and peach trees. 



With reference to the life-history, although the species has been 

 reared more than once, the modern literature on the subject appears to 

 be very meagre. Von Hey den in Die Neuroptera-Fauna der weiteren 

 Umgebung von Frankfurt a. M. (Bericht iiber die Senckenbergische 

 Naturforschende Cles. in Frankfurt a. M., 1896, p. 115), says the 

 larva is found at the beginning of June in oaks and develops in July. 

 The pupa is said to be enclosed in a thicker yellow cocoon, suspended 

 in a larger wide-meshed one and held from the side by only a few 

 threads. 



Prof. Standfuss also bred the insect from material collected for 

 him by Dr. Eis. He published a very short note on the subject 

 recording the interesting fact that the pupa after leaving the cocoon 

 luns some distance before it bursts the pupal skin (Mitt, der 

 Schweiz. Entom. Ges., vol. xi. Heft 4, 1906 : Bewegliche Puppen bei 

 Insekten mit volkommener Verwandlung, p. 154). 



Going back to earlier times, Reaumur knew the larva and he 

 raised a crippled imago. But the best account extant seems to be that 

 of Von Grleichen genannt Eussworm: Versuch einer Greschichte der 

 Blatlause und Blatlausfresser des TJlmenbaums : Niirnberg, 1770 (with 

 four coloured plates). This author narrates that on opening a curled 

 up leaf, amongst the moving mass of plant-lice of different sizes and a 

 tangle of cast-off skins and other matter, he noticed some very active 

 brown larvae which he at once concluded were what they proved to 

 be, the creatures to which Eeaximur had given the name of " Lion 



