142 



NEUEOPTERA. 



prudent insect tliat unhai^iiily passes too near tlie trea- 

 cherous margin of his pit-fall. No sooner does it approach 



Fig. 



.—CIRCULAR DITCH OF ANT LIOX 



the fatal brink than, the loose sides giving way beneath 

 its feet, it is precipitated to the bottom, and falls at once 

 into the power of its destroyer. The Ant-lion, or as 

 Bonnet calls him. on account of his cunning, the " Ant- 

 fox," has no mouth, but 

 instead, two horny fangs, 

 resembling jaws, which 

 are toothed upon the 

 inner margin, and ter- 

 minate in sharp points. 

 These jaw-like aj)pen- 

 dages are hollow, and 

 serve not only for seizing, 

 but for sucking the juices 

 of any insect that may 

 come within reach. 



The Lace - winged 

 Flies (Remerohiusf are 

 not very dissimilar from 

 tlie ant-lions, although 

 they dig no pit-falls. 

 j' 7o These insects, frequently 

 t f seen in our gardens, with 

 .^ their bright green bodies, 

 golden eyes, and iri- 

 descent wings, are in 

 their perfect state most 

 elegant creatures. The 

 female lays her eggs upon the leaves of plants, to which 

 they are attached in a very curious manner. The insect 

 first fixes to the leaf a small quantity of a tenacious gum- 



* Tjiiepa, emera, clay : liiow, bioo, to live. 



Fig. 98.— lace-wingei> fly — makner of 

 depositing eggs. 



