the Biology of some British Neuroptera. 549 



prominence may be a true joint, and, indeed, often appears 

 to be such, but since in the Hemerobiidae it has not been 

 counted as a joint, the same system is followed here. 

 Sucking jaws caliper-like, longer and more slender than 

 those of Hemerohius, formed quite typically of combined 

 mandibles and maxillae. Labium small, with a pair of 

 slender, four- jointed palpi which often appear to be still 

 further subdivided. 



Body almost smooth with only small hairs {C. flava), or 

 very hirsute and tuberculate, with bristle tufts. The long 

 setae of these latter may be serrate or hooked. Debris- 

 carrying forms have the abdomen covered above vnth small 

 hooked setae and the first instars of nearly all tuberculate 

 forms have, at this stage, all the body bristles more or less 

 hooked and carry some debris. Besides the above- 

 mentioned setae, the whole surface of the body is covered 

 with microtrichia. To each segment of the thorax there 

 is at least one pair of dorsal sclerites, those of the prothorax 

 being the largest. Generally there is also a median sclerite 

 in the prothorax. The legs are v/ell developed, but the 

 articulation of tibia and tarsus is, as in Hemerobiidae, 

 not very free. There are tv/o simple tarsal claws and a 

 trumpet-shaped empodium throughout life. This is used 

 as an organ of adhaesion, but is apparently also tactile, 

 frequently^ not being applied to the surface on which the 

 larva is walking. The abdomen tapers to the extremity 

 and is soft, though often with dorsal and lateral tubercles. 

 From the 5th abdominal segment to the last, sclerites may 

 appear again, increasing in relative size to the extremity. 

 The anal papilla is adhaesive and used as an additional 

 leg. The two eversible pads are not greatly developed. 

 The larva is active and predacious. 



A closely woven, parchment-like, short oval cocoon of 

 white silk is spun for pupation. The pupa is at first 

 yellowish, or palely the colour of the larva, later it becomes 

 green and assumes the imaginal markings. The head is 

 furnished with strong pupal mandibles. Wings lie at the 

 sides, and closely ajiplied to these the antennae are curled. 

 The legs are held ventrally. When due to emerge, the 

 pupa cuts a circular lid in the wall of the cocoon, and 

 pushing this open, escapes. The cocoon, owing to the 

 method of spinning, easily splits along lines parallel to its 

 equator, and therefore probably very little actual cutting 

 is necessary, to make this lid. Now the pupa crawls to a 



