the British Neiiroptera-Planipennia. 163 



Aphides, and other small insects, of which it extracts the 

 juices. The mouth furnished with a pair of very long 

 mandibles with which the prey is seized, at the base of 

 which, internally, the maxillae lie in a groove. 



Pupa contained in an oval or circular silken cocoon, 

 which is very small for the size of the imago ; but shortly 

 before the change, it cuts its way out by means of a 

 pair of short strong mandibles, and then extends itself, 

 having previously been coiled round, with the segments 

 retracted. 



Eggs ovate, more or less pedicillate, and attached. 



Most of these insects fall down on their side, and feign 

 death, when disturbed ; the legs being then doubled up, 

 the head drawn under the thorax, and the antennae con- 

 cealed. 



The British Hemerohiince may be divided into three 

 families, thus: — 



I. Hemerobiid^. 



Antennae moniliform. Wings mostly with numerous 

 transverse veinlets ; margins ciliated . 



II. CONIOPTERYGID^. 



Antennae moniliform. Wings with scarcely any trans- 

 verse veinlets; margins not visibly ciliated. Insects of 

 minute size, covered wholly with a whitish powder. 



III. Chrysopid^. 



Antennae setiform. Wings with a moderate number 

 of transverse veinlets ; margins ciliated. Colour usually 

 greenish. 



The larvae of most of these delicate insects play a great 

 part in the economy of nature, and must be considered 

 as benefactors of the human race in no small degree. 

 With those of GoccineUa and Syrjyhus they help to coun- 

 teract the extraordinary fecundity of the Aphides; and 

 though their numbers are seldom so great as are those of 

 Coccinella, yet from their activity, and from the short 

 time they take to extract the juices of their prey, they 

 must destroy innumerable multitudes of these pests of 

 the horticulturist. 



