﻿Order 
  NEUROPTERA. 
  

  

  In 
  its 
  original 
  or 
  Linngean 
  scope 
  this 
  order 
  included 
  all 
  the 
  net 
  or 
  

   nerve-winged 
  insects, 
  hence 
  was 
  easy 
  of 
  definition. 
  It 
  is 
  the 
  most 
  ancient 
  

   of 
  all 
  the 
  orders 
  in 
  this 
  sense 
  and 
  the 
  course 
  of 
  evolutionary 
  divergence 
  

   left 
  its 
  mark 
  in 
  the 
  f.orm 
  of 
  remnants, 
  retaining 
  the 
  original 
  wing 
  type, 
  

   but 
  differing 
  greatly 
  in 
  other 
  respects. 
  Recognizing 
  its 
  composite 
  char- 
  

   acter, 
  the 
  first 
  attempt 
  to 
  divide 
  it 
  was 
  upon 
  the 
  method 
  of 
  transforma- 
  

   tion, 
  and 
  we 
  had 
  Pseudoneuroptera 
  in 
  which 
  the 
  metamorphoses 
  were 
  

   incomplete, 
  and 
  Neuroptera 
  in 
  which 
  they 
  were 
  complete. 
  This 
  was 
  un- 
  

   satisfactory, 
  because 
  nothing 
  in 
  the 
  adult 
  indicated 
  the 
  character 
  of 
  its 
  

   transformation 
  and 
  also 
  because 
  there 
  were 
  a 
  number 
  of 
  transitional 
  

   forms 
  which 
  were 
  not 
  easily 
  classified. 
  Hence 
  the 
  modern 
  tendency 
  to 
  

   give 
  each 
  compact 
  group 
  ordinal 
  rank, 
  and 
  that 
  I 
  consider 
  the 
  correct 
  

   solution. 
  There 
  is 
  as 
  yet 
  no 
  entire 
  agreement 
  as 
  to 
  just 
  where 
  the 
  lines 
  

   of 
  division 
  should 
  be 
  made, 
  and, 
  while 
  I 
  have 
  in 
  general 
  followed 
  the 
  

   classification 
  in 
  Mr. 
  Nathan 
  Banks' 
  Catalogue 
  of 
  1907, 
  I 
  have 
  adopted 
  the 
  

   ordinal 
  divisions 
  that 
  were 
  indicated 
  by 
  my 
  own 
  studies 
  along 
  the 
  lines 
  

   of 
  the 
  inti'oduction 
  to 
  this 
  work. 
  The 
  ordinal 
  terms 
  are 
  in 
  general 
  those 
  

   used 
  by 
  Prof. 
  Comstock. 
  

  

  As 
  the 
  order 
  Neuroptera 
  is 
  limited 
  here 
  it 
  contains 
  insects 
  that 
  have 
  a 
  

   moderately 
  compact 
  thorax, 
  the 
  prothorax 
  being 
  well 
  developed 
  yet 
  im- 
  

   movably 
  connected 
  with 
  the 
  mesothorax 
  whatever 
  its 
  size, 
  and 
  no 
  dis- 
  

   tinct 
  neck 
  between 
  it 
  and 
  the 
  head. 
  There 
  are 
  four 
  large 
  net-veined 
  

   wings 
  which 
  are 
  not 
  folded 
  and 
  are 
  carried 
  obliquely 
  or 
  roof-like 
  when 
  

   at 
  rest. 
  They 
  are 
  not 
  densely 
  hairy 
  in 
  any 
  case, 
  there 
  is 
  little 
  or 
  no 
  dif- 
  

   ference 
  in 
  texture 
  between 
  the 
  two 
  pairs 
  and 
  usually 
  not 
  much 
  in 
  size. 
  

   All 
  of 
  them 
  are 
  terrestrial 
  in 
  all 
  stages 
  and 
  all 
  are 
  predatory 
  in 
  character 
  

   as 
  larva, 
  although 
  in 
  one 
  case 
  at 
  least 
  with 
  a 
  tendency 
  to 
  parasitism, 
  and 
  

   in 
  all 
  there 
  is 
  a 
  complete 
  metamorphosis. 
  

  

  Several 
  families 
  occur 
  in 
  New 
  Jersey, 
  differing 
  considerably 
  in 
  habits 
  

   and 
  appearance 
  and 
  most 
  of 
  them 
  of 
  small 
  extent. 
  

  

  The 
  Mantispidse 
  have 
  only 
  two 
  representatives 
  — 
  remarkable 
  looking 
  

   forms 
  with 
  long 
  prothorax 
  and 
  immense 
  clasping 
  fore-legs, 
  much 
  resemb- 
  

   ling 
  the 
  "Mantidffi" 
  of 
  the 
  Orthoptera. 
  The 
  larvas 
  prey 
  upon 
  the 
  eggs 
  

   of 
  spiders 
  and 
  are 
  semi-parasitic, 
  living 
  in 
  the 
  egg-sac 
  and 
  becoming 
  

   grub-like 
  in 
  form. 
  

  

  The 
  Hemerobiidffi 
  resemble 
  the 
  Chrysopidse 
  except 
  that 
  they 
  are 
  brown 
  

   instead 
  of 
  green 
  in 
  color, 
  and 
  the 
  larvae, 
  for 
  their 
  own 
  protection, 
  make 
  

   sacs 
  composed 
  of 
  the 
  skins 
  of 
  their 
  victims 
  and 
  dirt 
  particles 
  held 
  to- 
  

   gether 
  by 
  threads 
  of 
  silk. 
  

  

  The 
  Chrysopidae, 
  termed 
  "lace-wing" 
  or 
  "golden-eyed 
  files" 
  as 
  adults, 
  

   and 
  "aphis 
  lions" 
  as 
  larvae, 
  are 
  well 
  represented 
  with 
  us 
  and 
  distinctly 
  

   useful. 
  The 
  term 
  "aphis 
  lion" 
  refers 
  to 
  the 
  habits 
  of 
  the 
  larvae 
  which 
  are 
  

   spindle-shaped, 
  a 
  little 
  flattened, 
  with 
  prominent, 
  long 
  mandibles 
  which 
  

   are 
  grooved 
  on 
  the 
  inner 
  side. 
  This 
  larva 
  grasps 
  a 
  plant-louse, 
  punctures 
  

   it 
  and 
  draws 
  in 
  its 
  juices, 
  the 
  body 
  being 
  thrown 
  away 
  when 
  exhausted. 
  

  

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