HEMEROBIIDjE. SIALIDJE. 153 



highly-polished gold ; and the wings frequently reflect the 

 prismatic colours ; so that, although of small size, these insects 

 are very conspicuous. They are for the most part inhabitants 

 of temperate climates; and many species abound in Britain. 

 They usually fly during the twilight, remaining inactive during 

 the day ; and they emit a very disagreeable odour when handled. 

 The females deposit their eggs upon plants, attaching them at 

 the extremity of a long slender footstalk, the base of which is 

 fastened to the leaf ; this footstalk is composed of a white viscid 

 matter, discharged by the female at the time of laying her egg, 

 and speedily hardening by exposure to the air. The eggs, thus 

 curiously fixed in small clusters, have the appearance of minute 

 fungi. The larvae are extremely voracious, and especially attack 

 the Aphides ; unlike the Ant-lions, however, these Aphis-lions 

 (as they have been termed) do not remain concealed in one spot, 

 but wander in search of their prey where it is to be found in 

 the greatest abundance. So ravenous are they, that they do 

 not require more than half a minute to suck the juices from one 

 of the largest Aphides ; and they not unfrequently attack each 

 other, the conqueror in like manner sucking the body of the 

 vanquished. During the summer they arrive at their full growth 

 in about fifteen days ; they then spin a silken cocoon, in which 

 they enter as inactive pupae during the winter ; and come forth 

 in the succeeding summer. 



678. The remaining families of this Order may be very 

 briefly noticed. The SIALID^: are a small group of moderate or 

 large-sized Neuroptera, having very large anterior wings. They 

 are nevertheless slow and inactive in their habits, and frequent 

 the neighbourhood of water, in which they pass their larva 

 state. The ordinary species Sialis lutaria, or May-fly, is a 

 well-known bait with the angler, being produced during the 

 spring months in large quantities ; it is of a dull brown colour, 

 and may be found on the walls or palings near the water. The 

 larva is furnished with appendages for aquatic respiration, 

 strongly resembling those of the Ephemera ; but when arrived 

 at its full growth, it quits the water and burrows into the 

 adjoining bank, in which it excavates a sort of cell. Here it 



