152 



TERMITID.E. MYRMELEONID^E, OR ANT-LIONS. 



FIG. 377. Psocus 



PULSATORIUS. 



numbers ; they lose their wings before the morning, however ; 

 and the greater part of them, falling to the ground, become the 

 prey of birds, reptiles, &c. The females, however, are sought 

 by the workers, who imprison them in royal chambers, as they 

 have been termed, in the centre of the nest. The abdomen 

 subsequently attains an enormous size, from the quantity of eggs 

 it contains ; and these, when laid, are carefully 

 tended by the workers, and defended by the 

 soldiers. Some small species belonging to this 

 family, but not at all resembling the true 

 Termites in habits, are found in our country; 

 one of them, which is found in collections of 

 dried plants, is remarkable for producing a slight 

 ticking noise; it is represented of its natural 

 size, and magnified, in the accompanying figure. 



676. Section II. Of the division of Neuroptera in which a 

 more complete metamorphosis occurs, the pupa passing into an 

 inactive condition, the family of MYRMELEONID^E, or Ant-lions, 



is one of the most re- 

 markable. As its pecu- 

 liar habits in the larva 

 state have already been 

 elsewhere described 



(ANIM.PHYSIOL.697), 



they need not be here 

 dwelt on. When the 

 larva has attained its full 

 growth, and is ready to 

 assume the pupa state, 



it spins a perfectly round cocoon of a silky matter, the exterior 

 of which it covers with sand ; and from this the perfect insect 

 makes its escape at the end of fifteen or twenty days. None of 

 this group are found in Britain. 



677. The family HEMEROBIID^E, which is closely allied to 

 the preceding, is remarkable for the exceeding brilliancy of the 

 eyes in most of the species, and for the delicate structure and 

 varied colours of the wings. The eyes often resemble the most 



FIG. 378. MYRMELEO. 



