NEUROPTERA. — HEMEROBIID. 47 
forms a distinct piece, narrower than the head and meso-thorax ; the 
abdomen is of moderate length, curved, and not furnished with ter- 
minal filaments; the wings large, deflexed at the sides of the body 
during rest, and much reticulated ; the posterior being rather smaller 
than the anterior, and not folded; the legs are simple and slender, 
with 5-jointed tarsi, terminated by two claws anda pulvillus ( fig.64.6.). 
These insects are of a small, or but moderate size, and appear to be 
chiefly inhabitants of temperate climes. The exceeding brilliancy 
of the eyes of some species, resembling polished gold, and the very 
delicate structure of the wings, which reflect the prismatic colours, are 
especially worthy of notice. They emit, however, a very disagreeable 
odour when handled: they fly generally during the twilight, remaining 
inactive during the day. In their motions they are very sluggish. 
The females deposit their eggs upon plants, attaching them at the 
extremity of a long slender and stiff footstalk, of a white colour, the 
base of which is fastened to the leaf (jig. 64. 7.). This filament is 
composed of a viscid matter, discharged by the female at the time of 
laying her egg, which very quickly hardens on exposure to the air. 
In this manner they are fixed in small clusters, and have all the ap- 
pearance of minute fungi. It has been suggested that it is for the 
purpose of protecting them from the attacks of parasites that this pro- 
ceeding is adopted. The larve hatched from these eggs are very 
voracious, feeding upon Aphides; and thus, in conjunction with the 
larvee of the Coccinellidz and Syrphidee, they are very serviceable to the 
agriculturist. Unlike the ant lion, these aphis-lions, as Reaumur has 
termed them, are wanderers, seeking their prey where it is to be 
found in the greatest abundance. The body (jig. 64.8.) is long and 
depressed, with the segments very distinct, and gradually narrowed 
to the extremity of the body ; the head of moderate size, and armed 
with long curved mandibles, wherewith the insect seizes and sucks its 
prey. No description of the mouth of these larve has hitherto been 
given, Reaumur merely stating that the mandibles are hollow, for 
suction. Such is not, however, the case; the under side of these 
organs is deeply grooved, and the maxilla, which are nearly equal to 
them in size, and of a similar form, play in this groove; there are no 
maxillary palpi; — the labial palpi are long, porrected, and apparently 
3-jointed ; the antenne are also long and filiform, but I cannot clearly 
perceive any articulations (fig 64.9. under side of front of head of 
_ larva). So ravenous are these larve that it does not require more than 
half a minute for them to suck one of the largest Aphides. They will 
