CLASSIFICATION AND ORIGIN OF INSECTS 1417 



apparatus is shot out with such velocity that the 

 prey which comes within its reach seldom escapes. 

 In their perfect condition, also, dragon-flies feed on 

 other insects, and may often be seen hawking round 

 ponds. The so-called ant-lions in many respects re- 

 semble the dragon-flies, but the habits of the larvae 

 are very dissimilar. They do not live in the water, 

 but prefer dry places, where they bury themselves 

 in the loose sand, and seize with their long jaws any 

 small insect which may pass. The true ant-lion 

 makes itself a round, shallow pit in loose ground or 

 sand, and buries itself at the bottom. Any inatten- 

 tive little insect which steps over the edge of this pit 

 immediately falls to the bottom, and is instantane- 

 ously seized by the ant-lion. Should the insect es- 

 cape, and attempt to climb up the side of the pit, the 

 ant-lion is said to throw sand at it, knocking it down 

 again. 



One other family of Neuroptera which I must 

 mention is the Hemerobiidae. The perfect insect is 

 a beautiful, lace-winged, very delicate, green crea- 

 ture, something like a tender dragon-fly, and with 

 bright, green, touching eyes. The female deposits 

 her eggs on leaves, not directly on the plant itself, 

 but attached to it by a long white slender footstalk. 

 The larva has six legs and powerful jaws, and makes 

 itself very useful in destroying the hop-fly. 



The insects forming the order Trichoptera are 

 well known in their larval condition under the 

 name of caddis worms. These larva? are not alto- 

 gether unlike caterpillars in form, but they live in 

 water which is the case with very few lepidopterous 



