630 THE DEMOISELLE DRAGON-FLIES AND THE ANT-LION. 



out the innumerable folds into which the wide gauzy wings have been 

 gathered. After a series of deep respirations of the unwonted air and 

 much waving of the wings, the glittering membranes gain strength and 

 elasticity, and the enfranchised insect launches forth into the air in search 

 of prey and a mate. 



There are very many species of Dragon-flies, all very similar in their 

 habits, being fiercely p'redaceous, strong of wing, and gifted with glit- 

 tering colors. Unfortunately, the rich azure, deep green, soft carnation, 

 or fiery scarlet of these insects fades with their life, and in a few hours 

 after death the most brilliant Dragon-fly will have faded to a blackish 

 brown. The only mode of preserving the colors is to remove all the 

 interior of the body and to introduce paint of the proper colors. This, 

 however, is but an empirical and unsatisfactory sort of proceeding, and 

 no matter how skillfully it may be achieved, will never be worth the 

 time bestowed upon it. In many species the sexes are of different colors, 

 as, for example, in the beautiful Demoiselle Dragon-flies, where the 

 male is deep purple, with dark spots on the wings, and the female rich 

 green, with the wings uncolored. 



The far-famed Ant-lion is one of the insects that are more celebra- 

 ted in their preliminary than in the perfect stage of existence. As may 

 be seen by reference to the illustration, their perfect form is very light 

 and elegant, and closely resembles that of the dragon-flies, save that 



the wings are lighter, 

 softer, and broader. 

 In their larval condi- 

 tion however, they are 

 by no means attrac- 

 tive-looking creatures, 

 somewhat resembling 

 flattened maggots with 

 rather long legs and 

 very large jaws, the 

 legs being apparently 



The Ant-lion [Mynneleocj tramyatus). 



useless as organs of progression, all movements being made by means 

 of the abdomen. Slow of movement as is this creature, and yet pre- 

 daceous, feeding wholly on living insects, the mode of obtaining its food 

 seems to be rather a problem. The solution, however, is simple enough, 

 the creature digging a pitfall and lying ensconced therein while the 

 expected prey approaches. 



In order to enable the Ant-lion to extract the juices of the insects on 

 which it feeds, the inner curve on each mandible is deeply grooved, and 

 another portion of the jaws, technically called the maxilla, plays within 

 the groove. 



The May-fly has long been celebrated for its short space of life, a 



