NEUROPTERA. 1 39 



rather wide and flat, and of equal width throughout. 

 The males are much smaller than the females, and their 

 wings are small. The larvaB and pupae of Perla, like those 

 of the Ephemera, are aquatic and active ; unlike those, 

 they are carnivorous. The perfect fly is found near 

 palings, and is an inactive, uninteresting looking insect. 

 The " Stone-fly," " Willow-fly," and " Yellow Sally " 

 of the angler are species of the family. 



The Laceflies (formerly called Hemerobius, but now 

 divided into several genera), are as conspicuous for their 

 beauty as the Dragonflies. The beauty is however of a 

 very different character. The softness of the parts, the 

 large size and exceedingly delicate texture of the wings, 

 and even the tenderness of the colouring, giving an ap- 

 pearance of great feebleness and fragility to the insect. 

 The one " touch " which lights up the whole is in the 

 glowing eyes, of a golden, sometimes ruby-like lustre, 

 from which is derived the name of one of the genera, 

 Chrysopa, or golden eyes. 



The Lacefly (PI. V., fig. 3) has a cylindrical body, with 

 a small head placed on a neck, long antenna?, slender weak 

 legs, and large broad, lacelike wings, much exceeding the 

 body in length, and, when at rest, lying over it in the form 

 of a sloping roof. The Laceflies are rarely found upon 

 the wing except in the evening, and then may easily 

 be recognised by the cross-like form which they assume 

 in flight, the wings being extended wide and vibrating 

 rapidly, while the progress of the insect is extremely 

 slow and apparently laborious. The species vary in 

 size, the larger measure rather more than i in. in the 

 length of the body and about 2 in. from tip to tip of the 

 expanded wings. 



The eggs have a singular appearance, being connected 



