the Biology of some British Neuropfera. 571 



latero-dorsal larger splashes, incomplete anteriorly, leaving a bay 

 into which a small projection passes. Running forward along the 

 sides of the head arc tv.o faint lines reaching almost to the eyes. 

 The underside has two diverging grey marks and between these a 

 smoky patch. Eyes black; antennae and palpi greyish; jaws 

 greyish or castaneous, darker towards the tips. 



Prothorax, in front of a line drawn between the two warts, 

 whitish; behind this line the central area is dark brown, sides 

 yellowish-white. Prothoracic sclerites black and shining, triangular 

 or somewhat trapezoidal, anteriorly slightly emarginate. Meso- 

 thorax with sides and median dorsal area of ground colour, yellowish- 

 white; latero-dorsally dark brown. Sclerites small, blackish and 

 oval. Metathorax, central area yellowish-white, lateral prominences 

 and warts of same, very dark brown above. Below, and to a 

 small extent posteriorly, the prominences are of ground-colour, 

 yellowish-white. Dark brown metathoracic lateral prominences 

 are characteristic of 2^erkt and septempunctala, and are often very 

 noticeable. No other lateral prominences of the body are of such 

 a dark brown. 



Abdomen with sides yellowish-white. The latero-dorsal brown 

 bands running longitudinally spread well toward the central area, 

 so that the yellowish ground-colour is not always apjiarent here, 

 although the brown pigmentation is always less dense in the middle 

 line. Besides the warts on the lateral segmental prominences 

 there is also another pair of conspicuous warts nearer the middle 

 line of each segment. All these are yellowish-white. Other 

 smaller warts occur on the body. The median dorsal longitudinal 

 line api:)ears dark brown, and dilates in the posterior third of each 

 segment as usual. The underside of the body is yellowish- or 

 greenish-white, with indications of two lines latero-ventrall}^ Legs 

 translucent whitish, tarsi blacker at tips. 



In the first instar, tlie instinctive action of the larva on 

 'hatching is to cover itself with refuse. Later there is 

 rarely any such coat carried. Often when disturbed, the 

 larva, in its second or third instar, immediately rolls 

 itself up into a ball and drops to the ground, remain- 

 ing motionless for some minutes. This habit is not 

 found in other Chrysopids, except septempunctata and 

 dorsalis. 



A cocoon, about 3-5 mm. long, of ordinary form, is 

 spun for pupation. The pupal stage lasts two to three 

 weeks. 



