OUTLINES OF ENTOMOLOGY. 125 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

 Order VII. NEUROPTERA, 



Fig. 47. 



Dragon-fly (Plathemis tri-maculata) . 



The insects here considered under the old Order NEUROPTERA 

 are now separated into from two to five minor Orders, according to the 

 importance attached by authors to the peculiar development of certain 

 organs, and, more especially, with regard to the different methods of 

 transformation which obtain among them. As very few of these insects 

 are of economic importance, however, and as all the more conspicuous 

 forms agree in general wing structure, and in the possession of biting 

 mouth parts (except in one group, where these organs are entirely un- 

 developed), it will be more convenient to discuss them as members of a 

 single primary group. 



In these insects the body wall is soft and flexible, and there is but 

 little consolidation of segments in any part. The head is usually rather 

 large and free; antennae always filiform or bristle-like, but sometimes 

 very short ; eyes, except in a few of the lowliest forms, conspicuous, 

 and in many species occupying the entire sides of the head ; mouth 

 parts, especially the outer jaws and lips, peculiarly large and strong ; 

 thoracic joints more equally developed than in most species of preced- 

 ing orders. The two pairs of wings are composed of delicate, trans- 

 parent membrane, closely netted with fine veins, with strong supporting 

 ribs on the anterior margin; legs, as a rule, rather small and weak; 

 abdomen slender, oblong or lanceolate, in some cases terminated by a 

 pair of curved forceps or two or three long, bristle-like tails. 



In a portion of these insects the metamorphosis is complete, the 

 pupal stage of life being one of quiescence and rest ; while in the 

 remainder of the Neuroptera the pupae are active and voracious and 



