CHAPTER XVI. 

 Order MECOPTERA (Me-cop'te-ra). 



The Scorpion- flies and others. 



The members of this order have four wings ; these are 

 membranous, and furnished with numerous veins. The head 

 is prolonged into a beak, at the end of which biting mouth 

 parts are situated. The metamorphosis is complete. 



This is a small order composed of very remarkable in- 

 sects. The most striking character common to all is the 

 shape of the head, which is prolonged into a beak (Fig. 223). 

 The name Mecoptera is from two Greek words ; 

 A^,^ mccos, length ; and pteron, a wing. This order 

 li^^ includes only a single family, the Panorpidcz. 



\ 



Family PANORPID/E (Pa-nor'pi-dae). 

 ^ The Scorpion-flies and others. 



TK We have found representatives of this family 



quite abundant on rank herbage growing on 

 FIG. 27, -Head tne banks of a shaded stream ; we have also 

 *r/*.' "" found them in damp woods where there was a 

 luxuriant undergrowth of herbaceous plants. 

 These insects take flight readily when disturbed ; they are car- 

 nivorous both in the adult and in the larval state. The larvae 

 larvae so far as known are remarkable on account of their 

 great resemblance to caterpillars. Not only is the form of 

 the body like that of a caterpillar, but the abdomen is fur- 

 nished with fleshy pro-legs. There are, however, eight pairs 

 of these ; while caterpillars, as a rule, have only five. 



184 



