the Biology of some British Neuroptera. 513 



side of the egg. This slit is made by a very long, saw-like 

 egg-breaker (Plate XXXVIII, fig. 7). As previously de- 

 scribed, the first change of skin takes place when only head 

 and part of thorax are free from the eggshell. 



At first the chitin covering of the body is soft, and the 

 colour of the larva is pale brown, but, after resting by the 

 side of the egg-cluster for an hour or so, the colour darkens 

 and the integument hardens. Many larvae remained 

 clustering round their empty eggshells for a day or two before 

 dispersing. 



The first-instar larva is fusiform, about 4 mm. long, and 

 dark fuscous in colour. At first only the tips of the jaws 

 are castaneous, but later they are wholly so. The anterior 

 part of the prothorax is whiter than the rest of the body. 

 The early larva differs very little from the full-fed larva, 

 except in the following minor points. The number of 

 setae per segment is less. Thus each dorsal transverse 

 row, of which there are two to each segment, is composed 

 of only about four setae. The empodium between the 

 two tarsal claws is more tapered and longer, ending in a 

 short, curled lash. With these exceptions the description 

 of the full-fed larva will apply eqvially well to the first 

 instar. 



On first hatching, the fore part of the alimentary canal 

 contains a bubble or two of air, as in Sisyra, and possibly 

 this prevents the larva from sinking out of its depth in 

 water. 



The second-instar larva has an increased number of 

 setae, and the empodium is quite as in the third-instar 

 larva. 



Descriptio7i of Full-fed Larva [third instar). 

 (Plate XXXVIII, fig. 4.) 



Length about 15 mm. from tips of jaws to anal extremity. Head 

 and jaws dark castaneous ; thorax and abdomen dark fuscous ; 

 legs paler, somcwliat whitish. Body covered with strong blackish 

 setae. 



The head is rounded, slightly shorter than broad, strongly 

 chitinised and dark castaneous in colour, but with a fine median 

 lighter line posteriorly. The eyes are each composed of six ocelli. 

 Antennae are three-jointed; in colour, fuscous. The first joint is 

 large, about twice as long as broad. The second is slender, about 

 six times the length of the first. Except at each end, the second 



