XX HEMEROBIIDAE 465 



Finally the nymph breaks through the barriers larva-skin, 

 cocoon, and egg-bag of the spider by which it is enclosed, 

 and after creeping about for a little, appears in its final 

 form as a perfect Mantispa. Thus in this Insect hypermeta- 

 morphosis occurs; the larval life consisting of two different instars, 

 one of which is specially adapted for obtaining access to the 

 creature it is to prey on. It should be noticed that though this 

 Insect is so destructive to the young spiders, the mother spider 

 shows no hostility to it, but allows the destroying larva to enter 

 her bag of eggs without any opposition ; she appears, indeed, to 

 be so unconscious of the havoc that is going on amongst her 

 young that in one case she continued to watch over and protect 

 the egg-bag in which the destruction was taking place during 

 the whole of the period of the larval development and half the 

 period of pupation of the Mantispa. 



The larval history of a second species of the Mantispides, 

 Symphrasis varia, is partially known ; ^ this Insect Lives parasiti- 

 cally in the nests of a South American wasp, and each larva 

 when full fed spins a cocoon in one of the cells of the Hymen- 

 opteron. 



Sub - Fam. 5. Hemerobiides. Wings in repose forming an 

 angular roof over the hodg; the antennae moniliform or 

 pectinate, not clavate. 



The Hemerobiides consist of several minor groups about 

 whose number and characters systematists are not very well 

 agreed, and about some of w^hich very little is known. We 

 merely mention the latter, giving details as to some of the better 

 known only. 



1. The Dilarina are a small group found chiefly in the Old 

 World, where, however, they have a wide distribution. North 

 and South America have each one species. They are distinguished 

 by their antennae, which, in the male, are pectinate somewhat like 

 those of many Lepidoptera, this character being of extremely rare 

 occurrence in the Neuroptera ; the abdomen of the female termi- 

 nates in a long ovipositor. The metamorphoses are not known. 



2. Nymphidina : Australian Insects resembling Myrme- 

 leonides, but having antennae without club. Metamorphoses not 



known. 



1 Brauer, Zool. Anz. x. 1887, pp. 212 and 218. 

 VOL. V 2 H 



