PIIRYGANEA PHRYNUS. 



437 



of the others, which are so interesting in their 

 appearance, from the singularity of their plumage. 

 See BIRD OF PARADISE. 



P H 11 i'G A X H A ( Linnaeus). An extensive genus 

 of insects, constituting, in the system of Latreille, the 

 third and last great section of the neuropterous order 

 Plicipennes, but formed by Mr. Kirby into a distinct 

 order, Trichoptem. Without entering into the ques- 

 tion of the ordinal or other rank of this tribe of 

 insects, it will be sufficient to state the chief charac- 

 ters in which they differ from the other neuropterous 

 insects. The mouth is of an obsolete character, the 

 mandibles being either entirely wanting or minute 

 and membranous, as are also the under jaws and lip ; 

 the palpi are, however, present, which of course 

 proves the presence of the organs of which they are 

 appendages; the posterior wings are generally larger 

 than the superior, and folded longitudinally when at 

 rest, at which time the organs of Might are laterally 

 deflexed, the anterior pair being more or less pilose, 

 and the nervures are for the most part longitudinal, 

 and branching with very few transverse connecting 

 nerves ; the eyes are prominent and globular, the 

 ocelli two in number; the abdomen soft, and not 

 furnished with terminal setae ; and the legs are long 

 and slender; the coxae elongate, and the tibia! gene- 

 rally furnished with one or "more pair of spurs ; the 

 tarsi are five-jointed. These insects are found in the 

 neighbourhood of water, and are called caddice-flies 

 or water-moths, and their larvcc caddice-worms, in 



which latter state they reside in the water in cases of 

 sand, shells, &c. (fig. A) as described in the article 

 CADDICE WORM. Both in their larva and perfect state 

 the\ r are excellent baits for fishing. The pupa is 

 inclosed within the case formed by rfie larva ; it is of 

 that species termed incomplete, having all the limbs 

 distinct, but folded upon the breast, the head being, 

 moreover, furnished with a pair of curved mandibles, 

 which appear to be applied to no other use than that 

 of making a passage through an open-work grating of 

 silk (fig B), which the larva had formed at the 

 opening of its case previous to assuming the pupa 

 state. This grating hardens in the water, and be- 

 comes indissoluble j strong threads crossing each other 

 forming a small thickish circular plate of brown 

 silk, which becomes as hard as gum, and fits exactly 

 into the opening. De Geer has described and 

 figured several of these cases thus grated at one end ; 

 and Reaumur has ascertained that the holes left in 

 the grating were for the purpose of breathing, by 

 admitting a current of fresh water, effected evidently 

 by the spiracles of the pupa ; and he actually saw 

 the grate-work in alternate motion, from convex to 

 concave, as the water passed out and in. When, 



therefore, the time arrives for the insect to quit its 

 watery abode, and assume the winged state, it is 

 endowed with powers of motion far greater than are 

 possessed by any other incomplete pupa, so that it is 

 enabled not only, in the first place, to cut through 

 the grating of silk, but afterwards to creep out of its 

 case, and ascend into the air, where it throws off its 

 outer skin, and appears as a caddice-fly (fig. C.) 

 The species are found flying, chiefly after sunset, 

 about streams, ponds, &c. They are of a small or 

 moderate size, and generally of obscure pale brownish 

 colours. They greatly resemble each other in general 

 appearance, although sufficient characters are to be 

 found in the nerves of the wings, the form of these 

 organs, colours, &c. Dr. Leach divided this tribe of 

 insects, as an order, into two families, Lcptoccridce 

 and Phrygumdce ; but M. Pictet, in a very valuable 

 work, recently published, upon the Phryganecc of 

 Switzerland, has divided them in the following man- 

 ner, according to the structure and habits of their 

 larvae, which he confirmed in a subsequent table 

 founded upon the characters of the imago. 



I. Larva, with a case opening with a round hole. 



1. Segments of the thorax rounded, external 



respiratory organs isolated. G. Phryganea. 



2. ... in tufts. 



a, Hind legs long, G. Mystacida. 

 fj, Hiud legs short, G. Trichostoma. 



II. Larva, with a case opening by 



a cleft, G. Hydroptlla. 



III. Larva, without a case. 



, Pupa, with a double enve- 

 lope, G. RliyacopJiila. 



b, Pupa, with a single enve- 

 lope, G. Hydropsyche. 



In addition to these genera, Messrs. Stephens and 

 Curtis have respectively proposed various others in 

 their more recent works. 



The genus Phrygrmea, as restricted, now comprises 

 those species which have the posterior wings larger 

 than the superior, and longitudinally folded, with 

 transverse nerves ; the maxillary palpi of moderate 

 length, and slightly hairy. In the genus Myslacida 

 the palpi of the males arc very long, hairy, and por- 

 rected, resembling a pair of legs, and the antennae 

 very long ; they are of small size, and fly in swarms 

 over the surface of water. The genus Hydroptila 

 comprises the species of smallest size, which have 

 very much the resemblance of minute moths. 



PHRYNUS (Olivier; TARENTULA, Fabricius). 

 An extraordinary genus of arachnidous insects, be- 

 longing to the order Polymcrosomata of Loach (Pedi- 

 palpi, Latreille), and forming the type of the family 

 Phrynidee, in which the abdomen is attached to the 

 thorax by a narrow peduncle, or by a portion of its 

 basal diameter, without the curious comb-like appen- 

 dages found in the other family of this order (Scorpi- 

 onidce) ; the antennal claws are small and incurved ; 

 the palpi very large and spinose, resembling legs, 

 forming a kind of hook ; they have eight eyes ; the 

 body is flattened, and the insects resemble large 

 spiders ; the anterior legs are very long, and termi- 

 nated by a slender and multi-articulate tarsus. They 

 are of considerable size, and inhabit the tropical 

 parts of Asia and America. ThcSi/plumim, Latreille, 

 differs in having the body longer, and terminated by 

 a jointed tail. The Phtdangntm reniforme, Linnaeus* 

 is the type of the former genus ; the Phalanghim 

 caudatum of the latter. 



