OF HARTING. 363 



proves to be a pair of harmless forceps at the top of- 

 an enlarged segment, is in reality a character peculiar 

 to the male alone, and therefore, in all probability, 

 simply subservient to sexual purposes, the terminal 

 segments in the female being developed into a slender 

 tubular ovipositor. Of the history of this insect in 

 its earlier stages, we believe, little or nothing is yet 

 known. 



The last family in this order is that of the Snake- 

 flies, and these are of a less threatening aspect even 

 than the Scorpion-flies. They derive their popular 

 designation from the slender neck-like form into which 

 the anterior part of the body is produced, the large 

 head in which it terminates, and the peculiar active 

 movements in all directions of which it is capable, 

 quite independently of the thorax. The general ap- 

 pearance of the insect is that of a fly with its wings 

 standing out about midway between the two ex- 

 tremities, and of one species about an inch long, the 

 Raphidia Ophiopsis, we have occasionally netted an 

 individual on the banks of the stream leading from 

 Hurst Mill by the Pond-tail plantation to the Great 

 Pond. The larva has been found under the bark of 

 trees, and the structure of its mouth sufficiently in- 

 dicates the fact that, like the perfect insect, it is 

 predacious, but the record of its transformations is 

 still incomplete. At this stage then we necessarily 

 take leave of it, and turn our attention to the next 

 order of insects. 



This order * is made up exclusively of the Caddis- 

 flies, more generally known perhaps by the very 

 curious cases in which the larvae reside, than in the 

 perfect state. Phryganea grandis is not uncommonly 

 an evening visitor in our houses, evidently attracted 

 by the flame of a candle or lamp r but in all its 

 imperfect states it is aquatic. The eggs are attached 



Order TRICHOPTERA. From the Greek thrix, trichos, ha 

 and pteron, a wing. Wings four, upper pair clothed with hair. 



