NEUROPTERA. 



425 



themselves a silky cocoon. The larvae of the Phryganeas, on the 

 contrary, live in the water. They surround themselves with a sort of 

 protecting case, composed of a silky shell and incrustations of all 

 sorts. The pupae, as well as the larvae of these insects, breathe by 

 means of gills. 



The Ant-lion (Myrmeleo formicarius, Fig. 401) is found in the 

 environs of Paris. It is an elegant insect, resembling the dragon-fly, 

 but is distinguished from it by its antennas. Its larva is of a rosy, 

 rather dirty grey, with little tufts of blackish hair on its very volu- 

 minous abdomen. Its legs are rather long and slender; the two 

 anterior pair of legs are directed forwards, whilst the hind legs are 



Fig. 402. Ant-lion's funnel. 



Fig. 403. Larva, cocoon, and 

 pupa of the Ant-lion. 



fixed against the body, and only permit the animal to walk back- 

 wards. These larvae are met with in great abundance in sandy places 

 very much exposed to the heat of the sun. There they construct for 

 themselves a sort of funnel in the sand (Fig. 402), by describing, 

 backwards, the turns of a spiral whose diameter gradually diminishes. 

 Their strong square head serves them as a spade with which to throw 

 the sand far away : they then hide themselves at the bottom of the 

 hole, their head alone being out, and wait with patience for some 

 insect to come near. Scarcely has the ant-lion perceived its victim 

 on the borders of its funnel, when it throws at it a shower of dust to 

 alarm it, and make it fall to the bottom of the precipice, which does 

 not fail to happen. Then it seizes it with its sharp mandibles, and 



