PSE UDONE CROP TERA . 63 



tween the families are much greater than is usual between the families 

 of the same order. On this account it is proposed by Professor 

 Brauer to break the Pseudoneuroptera up into at least four orders, 

 one for each of the first three families, and one for the last three. 

 It remains to be seen whether this multiplication of the orders will 

 be accepted by entomologists generally. 



Owing to the great differences which exist between the families 

 of the Pseudoneuroptera, I will not attempt to make further gener- 

 alizations respecting the group in this place. 



The Pseudoneuroptera is represented in this country by six 

 families. These can be separated by the following table : 



TABLE OF FAMILIES OF PSEUDONEUROPTERA 



A. With four or two well-developed wings. 



B. Antennae inconspicuous, awl-shaped, short and slender. 



C. First and second pair of wings nearly of the same length ; tarsi three- 

 jointed. 2. LlBELLULID/E. 

 CC. Second pair of wings either smaller or wanting ; tarsi four- or five- 

 jointed. I. EPHEMERID.E. 

 BB. Antennae usually conspicuous, setiform, filiform, clavate, capitate, or 

 pectinate. 

 C. Tarsi two- or three-jointed. 



D. Second pair of wings the smaller. 5. PsociD/E. 



DD. Second pair of wings broader, or at least of the same size as the 



first pair. 3. Perlid.«. 



CC. Tarsi four-jointed ; wings equal. 6. Termi 1 iii.E. 



AA. Wingless, or with rudimentary wings. 



B. Tarsi four-jointed. 6. Ter.mitid.e. 



BB. Tarsi three-jointed. 



C. Wingless, or with two rudimentary wings of a leathery substance. 



5. PSOCID.E. 



CC. Four rudimentary wings, still with distinct venation. 3. Peki.ii i.e. 



BBB. Tarsi two- or one-jointed. 4. MALLOPHAGID^E. 



Family I. — EPHEMERIDiE.f 



Order PLECTOPTERA of some authors.^ 



{May -flics.) 



The May-flies or Ephemerids are often very common insects in the 



vicinity of streams, ponds, and lakes; frequently the surface of such 



bodies of water is thickly strewn with them. They are attracted by 



* After Baron Osten Sacken, in Hagen's Synopsis. 



f Ephemeridae, Ephemera : ephemeron {ecprj/tiepov), a may-fly. 



X Plectoptera ; plectos {itXeKvoi), plaited ; pteron {jcrepov), a wing. 



