SYNOPSIS OF THE BRITISH PLANIPENNES. 19 



those references which were absolutely necessary to elucidate 

 the species. 



As in the Synopsis (last year) of the British Dragon flies, 

 the characters of several species not yet found in Britain are 

 given, in order to facilitate the naming of new British spe- 

 cies by those who may meet with them. These probable 

 British species have no numeral prefixed to their names, 

 which are printed in Italics, not in Capitals. 



Planipennes. 



Mandibles completely developed ; under lip rounded, not 

 cleft ; tarsi five-jointed ; the veins only hairy, the membrane 

 of the wing never. Metamorphosis complete, larvae generally 

 carnivorous. 



Family I. Hemerobid^. 



Wings deflexed ; the subcosta parallel to the costa, but 

 never united with it ; labial palpi three-jointed ; anal area 

 wanting. 



Larva with sucking apparatus, always carnivorous. 



Pupa reposing in a cocoon till its final transformation. 

 1. Antennas short, with clubbed tip. Sub-family Myr- 



MELEONID^. 



Genus Myrmeleon, Linne. 

 According to Stephens (Illustrations, Mand. vi. p. 98), 

 the ant-lions are wanting in the British Fauna, although 

 Barbut counts 31. formicarius as indigenous. In the 

 collections of British insects I have examined, I have never 

 met with this genus. Nevertheless, we may assume as 

 almost certain that at least two species will be found in 

 Britain, and probably more. The perfect insects being noc- 

 turnal, and bad fliers, are easily overlooked; the larva is 

 always very local, and easily escapes discovery. Fir woods 



c2 



