NEUROPTERA. 203 



almost setaceous, and composed of five joints, and the labials of three, 

 the last of which is somewhat the thickost ; maxillae and a membra- 

 nous labium united. The body is most frequently bristled with hairs, 

 and, with the wings, forms an elongated triangle, like several of the 

 Noctuae and Pyrales. The first segment of the thorax is small. The 

 wings are simply veined, usually coloured, or almost opaque, silky or 

 pilose in several, and always strongly tectiform. The legs are 

 elongated, are furnished with small spines, and have five joints in all 

 the tarsi. 



These Insects chiefly fly at night or during the evening, diffuse a 

 disagreeable odour, frequently penetrate into houses, where they are 

 attracted by the light, and are extremely quick and agile in all their 

 motions. In coition they are joined end to end, and remain so a long 

 time. The smaller species flit about in flocks, over ponds and rivers. 

 Several females carry their eggs in a greenish bundle at the poste- 

 rior extremity of their abdomen. De Geer saw some of these eggs 

 which were inclosed in a glairy substance resembling the spawn of a 

 Frog, and deposited on plants or other bodies on the banks of 

 rivers, &c. 



Their larvae, called by some of the older naturalists Ligniperdes, 

 and by others Charrees, always, like the Tineae, inhabit^tubes that are 

 usually cylindrical, covered with various substances which they find 

 in the water, such as blades of grass, bits of reeds, leaves, roots, 

 seeds, grains of sand, and even little shells, and frequently arranged 

 symmetrically. They connect these various bodies with silken 

 threads, the source of which is contained in internal reservoirs, simi- 

 lar to those of Caterpillars, and that are also produced by fusi situated 

 in the lip. The interior of the habitation forms a tube which is open 

 at both ends, for the intromission of water. The larva always trans- 

 ports its domicil along with it, protrudes the anterior extremity of its 

 body while progressing, never quits its dwelling, and when found to 

 do so returns to it voluntarily, when left Avithin its reach. 



These larvjB are elongated and almost cylindrical ; their head is 

 squamous and furnished with stout mandibles, and a little eye on 

 each side ; they have six feet, the two anterior shorter and usually 

 thicker than the others, which are elongated. Their body is composed 

 of twelve rings, the fourth of which is furnished on each side with a 

 conical mammilla ; the last is terminated by two movable hooks. In 

 most of them Ave also observe two ranges of white membranous and 

 extremely flexible threads, Avhich seem to be organs of respiration. 



When about to become nymphs, they fix their tubes to diff"erent 

 bodies, but always in water, and close the two orifices with a grating, 

 the form of which, as well as that of the tube itself, varies according 

 to the species. 



In fixing their portable dwelling, they so manage it that the aper- 

 ture, which is at the point d'appui, is never obstructed. 



The nymph is fiu-nished anteriorly with two hooks, which cross 

 each other, and somewhat resemble a rostrum or snout. With it, 

 when the period of its last metamorphosis has arrived, it perforates 

 one of the grated septa in order to procure egress. 



Hitherto immovable, it now walks or swims with agility, by means 



p 2 



