the Biology of some British Neuroptera. 525 



The larva (Plate XL, figs. 1-8) is fusiform, somewhat 

 flattened dorso-ventrally. The body is smooth except for 

 two or more transverse rows of fine hairs per segment. 

 The head is small and rounded; general markings consist 

 of a wedge-shaped central mark and the sides of head also 

 darker. Head pigmentation is of little use in separating 

 the species. Each eye consists of a group of six ocelli. 

 The antennae arise each from a prominence between the 

 eye and base of -mandible. They are three-jointed, the 

 first joint being small, the second and third about equal in 

 length, narrow and tapering to appear almost as one joint. 

 They are transversely marked v/ith many small blackish 

 thickenings. In Sympherohius the constriction between 

 joints two and three is more marked than in other Heme- 

 robiids. Tlie third antennal joint terminates in a bristle. 

 The sucking jaws are inwardly curved, fairly short and 

 stout, composed of mandibles and maxillae as usual. The 

 mandible is acute, grooved ventrally, with three or four 

 barb-like serrations near the apex internally and other 

 serrations of a diiferent character less apically. The maxilla 

 is grooved dorsally, blunt ended, with sense organs. The 

 labium is reduced, with two labial palpi, each four-jointed. 

 The terminal joint is longer than the others and rather 

 fusiform, banded transversely with blackish markings, as 

 are the antennae. Sometimes the terminal joint shows 

 signs of subdivision into two near its base. 



The prothorax is divided into three, as usual. The middle 

 division bears the semilunar sclerites, the posterior sub- 

 segment laterally the spiracles. Meso- and metathorax 

 are rather similar to each other and bear each a pair of 

 smaller sclerites serially homologous v/ith those of the 

 prothorax. There are also, in various parts of the body, 

 less noticeable sclerites, lying in folds of the integument. 

 The legs are well developed, with a full complement of 

 joints. Above each joint is a chitinous thickening or rim, 

 which is very distinct in Hemerobiid larvae, especially at 

 the knees, appearing as a black ring. Tibia and tarsus 

 are not very freely movable. There are two tarsal claws, 

 simple, but more or less dilated basally. The empodium 

 of the first-instar larva is trumpet-shaped and is used as 

 an adhaesive organ. In the second and third instars the 

 empodiurn is reduced and pad-like. 



The abdomen consists of ten segm.ents tapering to the 

 last. The first eight bear each a pair of spiracles laterally 



