216 NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 



rarely pectinated or knobbed ; fore wings mostly parch 

 ment-like in texture, and wholly unfitted and unused for 

 flight, generally much smaller than the hind w r ings, and 

 sometimes reduced to very narrow lamina? or entirely want 

 ing (Phasmidae) ; hind wings ample, folded longitudinally in 

 many plaits like a fan ; pro-thorax, the largest segment of 

 the trunk, often of preposterous size (Blatta, Gryllotalpa, 

 Mantis, Tetrix) ; abdomen generally provided with articu 

 lated setas, or filiform appendages, and in many with a 

 prominent ovipositor. 



&quot;NEUROPTERA. Many of them aquatic in the larva and 

 pupa states ; transformation various, the pupae of some be 

 ing quiescent, and in all bearing very little resemblance to 

 the perfect insects ; parts of the mouth, in many adult or 

 winged species, rudimentary, soft, and apparently unfitted for 

 taking food ; in others they vary in structure, but are often 

 less complete even than those of the larvae ; labial palpi ob 

 solete in some ; head generally free, often versatile, and rare 

 ly immersed above in the pro-thorax ; antenna; sometimes 

 very short (Ephemera;, Libelluladce), moniliform, filiform, se 

 taceous, pectinated or knobbed at end ; fore wings usually 

 as large as or larger than the hind wings, alike to them in 

 texture, and equally fitted and used for flight ; hind wings 

 often smaller than the fore wings, sometimes entirely want 

 ing, never folded in numerous plaits when at rest; pro- 

 thorax (except in Conjdalis, Raphidia, and Mantispci) the 

 smallest section of the trunk, oftentimes reduced to a mere 

 ring ; mcso-thorax the largest segment ; abdomen some 

 times with setaceous appendages. 



&quot; The highly reticulated wings of the Libellula?, Myrrne- 

 leontidre, and some of the Perladae, which may be regarded 

 as typical genera, together with the varied and mixed na 

 ture of the transformations, have always justly been regard 

 ed by the most distinguished French and English entomol 

 ogists as forming the most peculiar characteristics of this 

 order. In the higher instincts and varied economy of many 

 of the Neuroptera we shall find another ground for distin 

 guishing them from the Orthoptera. I need only allude to 

 the labors of the Termites, the artistical skill of the Phry- 

 ganeadce in the construction of their habitations, and the 

 faculties and habits of the Myrmeleontidae and Ilemero- 

 biadce, with all the various stratagems employed by the 



