NEUROPTERA. 615 



are so admirable for their firmness, transparency and gloss. 

 Even after it has reached the imago state, its ferocious manners 

 still continue. It has even been known to devour its own body, 

 when confined and deprived of musquitoes and the other insects 

 upon which it usually feeds. 



The ANT-LIONS, Myrmeleonida, (genus Myrmeleon, Gr. ant- 

 lion.) are distributed throughout the world. These are terrestrial, 

 spider-like in their appearance, and short and thick, having man 

 dibles strongly toothed on the inside, so that the insect may suck 

 the juices of its victims, and so constructed that it can hold its 

 food firmly, though unable to chew it. To the curious devices 

 which the larva of this insect employs for entrapping its prey, 

 we have already alluded. 



The Ant-lions have been found under the limestone ledges of 

 Schoharie, and the larvse have also been seen beneath such 

 ledges near Burlington, Vt. (Emmons.) 



The MAY-FLIES, Ephemerida, or Ephemeral-flies, are so 

 named from the Greek word ephemeros, (diurnal,) in allusion to 

 the extreme brevity of their existence. Their larvse live in the 

 water; they take refuge under stones, and in the earth and mud, 

 feeding upon its slime. In their perfect state these insects gen 

 erally live but a few hours, taking no nourishment ; but if the 

 sexes be kept apart, it is said, they will live from one to three 

 weeks. Sometimes they issue forth in such numbers that &quot;the 

 ground is covered by their bodies when they die, to such a 

 thickness as to make it worth while to cart them away as ma- 

 nure. The swarms of one species with white wings have been 

 so abundant as to resemble a fall of snow.&quot; 



The TERMITES, Termitida, which include the genus Termes, 

 (Gr. terma, an end,) are distinguished by wings having few 

 transverse nervures or horny divisions, and folding horizontally; 

 the tarsi are four-jointed; the antennae short and moniliform ; 

 the body is white and oblong in shape. 



The head of the White Ants, as they are called, though differ 

 ing from the true ants, is large and rounded ; and besides the 

 ordinary compound eyes, they have three ocelli or simple eyes, 

 situated on the upper surface ; the antennse are long, and com 

 posed of about eighteen joints. 



The Termites are chiefly confined to the tropics, though some 

 few species extend into the temperate regions. Swainson, Kirby 

 and Spence, and other writers who have observed the operations 

 of these ants, either in Africa or South America, present many 

 interesting particulars respecting their wonderful economy and 

 habits. These insects unite in societies, composed each of an 



