339 



tion with the Hymeuoptera, which oi'der is now receiving their atten- 

 tion. Some of the members of the club havino; signified their intention 

 of working up the Neuroptera during the ensuing summer, we may look 

 forward to a much greater exhibit in this interesting branch of Eatom" 

 ology by the close of next collecting season. 



Having viewed these creatures in their perfect state, we will now 

 take a look at their early life. Dragon-flies are wholly aquatic animals, 

 and are carnivorous in all the stages of their existence. The parent 

 dragon-fly lays her eggs in the water, and her progeny, in their larval 

 and pupa states, live beneath the water, and subsist upon other aquatic 

 forms of animal life — largely upon the larvse of the mosquito. The 

 young of some species, after extension from the eggs, look like small 

 spiders, so long are their legs compared with the diminutive size of 

 their bodies. 



I tried to rear some of the larva? of Diplax and Agrion in aquaria 

 last winter, for the purpose of gaining some knowledge of their early 

 habits, but I do not know whether it was for want of knowledge of their 

 proper treatment, or because ot too much care, that they did not do well ; 

 at any rate, they died off" shortly after conflaement. Those of Diplax 

 never seemed possessed of much vitality, and would not stir unless 

 Avhen touched, and then but very little. But the Agrions were all- 

 active and of a remarkably sportive turn, continually swimming up to 

 the surface of the water, and when this point was reached they would 

 suspend all muscular exertion and sink slowly to the bottom, often two 

 or three lying across each other. 



They would sometimes nibble at small pieces of meat which T 

 offered them, but notwithstanding that I changed the water often and 

 gave them all the other care I thought necessary, they grew weaker 

 every day, discontinued their accustomed exercises, and finally passed 

 quietly away, one after another, in the course of ten or twelve days after 

 capture. I placed a few other Agrions in a separate vessel and put 

 with them a bunch of lemna and moss in which I had found them im- 

 bedded in tlie water. I did not change tlie water in this bottle, nor did 

 I give them any other attention, and left them in a cooler and darker 

 l)lace. This seemed better treatment than the otlier, for although tiiese 

 insects refused to eat anytliing, they sur\ived tlie other.s t^ree or four 

 weeks. 



