412 CLASS VIII. 



Sub-genera : Euplcea FABR., Danais LATE., Idea (Hestia) HUEBN. 



DOUBLEDAY. 



Sp. Idea Agelia GODART, Papilio (Danaus candidus) Idea L., CRAMER, Uitl. 

 Kap. Tab. 193, figs. A, A; DOUBLEDAY 1. 1. Tab. 13, fig. i. Amboyna. The 

 species of the sub-genus Idea are large, and have white or grey- white wings 

 with black veins and spots. They all belong to the East Indian islands, 

 or to New Holland. Of the sub-genus Danais, species are found both in 

 the Western and Eastern hemispheres. 



OEDER IX. Neuroptera. 



Hexapod insects, with four wings membranous, mostly trans- 

 parent, reticulate, naked, most frequently equal. Mouth not suc- 

 torial, but in most formed for manducation, with mandibles in some 

 obsolete. Females never aculeate, very rarely furnished with borer 

 or exsert oviduct. Metamorphosis in most incomplete, in others 

 complete. Larvse hexapod. 



Tendon-winged. Neuroptera L., from vevpov, tendon, and TTTepdv, 

 Odonata and most Synistata of FABRICIUS, Neuroptera and Tricho- 

 ptera KIRBY. On this order in general I am acquainted with no 

 other special work than that of P. RAMBUR, Histoire nat. des In- 

 sectes Neuropteres ; Ouvrage accompagne de planches. Paris, 1842, 

 8vo, making a part of the Suites a BUFFON by RORET. Other 

 works on particular families we shall indicate below. 



The Neuroptera are insects with four naked, mostly transparent, 

 wings, of which the veinures form a fine net-work. Usually the 

 under- wings are as large as the upper ; in many species of Ephemera, 

 however, they are very small, and in some entirely absent. The 

 females have no sting ; rarely only there exists a borer or an instru- 

 ment for depositing eggs. Hereby they are distinguished from the 

 Hymenoptera, as well as by the lower jaws with the under lip not 

 being produced into a sucker. The number of joints in the tarsus 

 is different in the different genera. 



Many insects of this order are, in the state of pupa and perfect 

 insect, carnivorous and truly predaceous. The larvae for the most part 

 live in water (Phryganea, Semblis, jEphemera, Libellula). Some larvae 

 spin themselves up when they change into pupse. In the larva of the 

 lion-ant the vessel which secretes the web, an oval sac, is situated in 

 the abdomen ; it ends in a tube capable of extrusion ; by means of it 

 the larva spins together granules of sand to form a round ball, within 

 which it changes into a pupa. In the larvae of the genus of the 



