the British Neuroptera-PIanipemiia. 171 



four others placed in two pairs, one within the other ; 

 the margins longly ciliated with fuscous. The rudi- 

 mentary posterior wings are hyaline^, with a strong testa- 

 ceous vein in the middle (PL IX. fig. 5). 



Length of body 1^ line ; expanse of wings 3^ lines. 



One example of this extraordinary creature was taken 

 off a hazel-bush at Breach Wood, near Langport, 

 Somersetshire, on the 26th June, 1843, by J. C. Dale, 

 Esq., through whose kindness in entrusting it to my 

 care, I am enabled to draw up the above description. 



This insect, thougia very widely distributed in Europe, 

 is excessively rare, and I believe that not more than four 

 or five examples are known. The female,with developed 

 posterior wings, is said to be in the Berlin Museum. 



Genus IV. Micromus, Rambm*. 



Ocelli absent; antennce shorter than the wings, the joints 

 oval or conical, strongly setose ; last joint of the maxil- 

 lary palpi scarcely longer than the penultimate, acumi- 

 nate, the end considerably elongated. 



Prothorax narrow, transverse. 



Abdomen short, slender in the male, more robust in the 

 female ; the apex in the male provided with a concave 

 ventral plate, in which lie two corneous, curved, needle- 

 shaped appendices (PL IX. fig. 4 a-h) . 



Legs slender ; tihice sub-cylindrical ; ungues simple ; 

 pulvilli scarcely evident. 



Wi7igs ovate, obtuse. Anterior wings with the costal 

 area narrow at the base, with no recurrent veinlet, after- 

 wards somewhat dilated ; costal nervules mostly forked ; 

 suh-costa and radius separated to the apex ; sub-costal 

 area narrow, with one transverse veinlet at the base, and 

 sometimes one near the apex ; three or four sectors all 

 starting from the radius, and all twice or thrice forked 

 on the margin ; gradate veinlets mostly in two very oblique 

 series, which are somewhat distant, the inner one traver- 

 sing the middle of the wing. Posterior wings narrower 

 than the anterior ; the costal area very narrow, with sim- 

 ple veinlets. 



Larva probably similar to that of Hemerohius. 



These insects, which otherwise much resemble Hemero- 

 hius, may be recognized by the narrow base of the costal 

 area of the fore-wings, and by the absence of a recurrent 

 nervule therein (PL IX. fig. 4) . 



