SECRETARY'S REPORT. 



149 



pupa state appearing with short wing-cases ; now emerging from 

 the water they cling lirmly to some stone or other substance a 

 few inches above the surface, and the skiu on the back splitting 

 open, tlie insect slowly disengages itself and works its way out, 

 having now wings and other organs like its parent ; these at 

 first are moist and crumpled, but in a few hours become 

 expanded and hardened and the brilliant colors gradually 

 become apparent. Figure 24 represents the pupa form of a 

 common species. The larva can in its 

 earlier stages be distinguished from this 

 by the absence of the four wing-cases 

 shown in this figure, of a long, triangular 

 form, just behind the bases of the posterior 

 feet. The first section of this Order, called 

 Pseiidoneiiroptera or false Neuroptera, con- 

 tains, beside the dragonfiies and darning- 

 needles, several families. The white ants, 

 as they are called, belong to the Termilina ; 

 and the small whitish " mites " or " lice," 

 as they are improperly named, which are 

 found in old books, belong to the family 

 FsocUia, from a Greek word meaning 

 dusty. The genus Psdcns, of Latrcille, also belonging to this 

 family is composed of small species of soft texture, which are 

 supposed to feed upon the minute insects, and other almost 

 microscopic animals that live in the crevices of bark, and in 

 moist, mossy patches on trees. 



The most common of our New England species is the Psocus 

 vendsus, of Burmeister, or veined Psocus. They are found in 

 great numbers on various trees in the spring and summer 

 months, more frequently perhaps on the apple and cherry, and 

 are apparently gregarious, crowding so closely together as to 

 completely cover the bark for a space of the size of a man's 

 hand, but when approached by the finger or a stick, will scatter 

 in all directions. The wingless ones or pupte, which bear a 

 slight resemblance to ants, being very active. 



The antenna; are nearly half an inch in length and slender, 

 consisting of two pale basal joints, and several long, black, and 

 lightly hairy ones ; the head brassy ; thorax margined with 

 yellow; the feet whitish; abdomen fuscous, (brown or dark- 



Fig. 24. 



