12 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



Europe ; and the larvae of some other species make no funnel, but simply conceal themselves 

 beneath the sand until their prey comes within reach. There are many exotic species, and 

 some of them, especially in warm climates, reach more than double the dimensions of the 

 European forms, and show a much more vivid colouration. This is the case also with the 

 species of the genus Palpares, which have shorter and stouter antennae than the preceding 

 and the first four joints of the tarsi very short. Palpares libelluloidss, which inhabits the 

 South of Europe, is about two inches long and four inches across the wings. It is of a 

 yellowish colour, with black streaks ; and the wings are clouded with yellow and adorned 

 with large and small brown spots. The Ascalaphi (see figure on p. 13), which much resemble Moths 



in general form, have the antennae long 

 and slender, and terminated by very dis- 

 tinct clubs like those of some Butterflies. 

 These insects also are adorned with bright 

 and contrasted colours, which adds to 

 their resemblance to Lepidoptera. 



The HEMEROBIID.E have the antennae 

 either thread-like or necklace-like, and 

 not clubbed; and their larvae are slenderer 

 in form and have a smaller head than the 

 Ant-lions. These insects, like the preced- 

 ing, are of slender and delicate forms, 

 and have very finely reticulated wings, 

 but in general the abdomen is less 

 elongated. Some species are exceedingly 

 abundant and well known in England, 

 such as the beautiful GOLDEN-EYED FLY 

 (Glirysopa vulyaris), which we may take 

 as an example of the group. This is a 

 most delicate green insect, with a body 

 less than half an inch long, which may 

 be seen almost everywhere in warm 

 summer evenings flying slowly about upon 

 four wings having the appearance of green 

 gauze, and consisting of a transparent 

 membrane traversed by a most delicate 

 network of green veins. The prominent 

 hemispherical eyes are of a beautiful 

 golden colour. It emits an exceedingly 

 disagreeable odour. Many other species 

 of this and the nearly allied genus 

 Hemerobius occur abundantly in Britain, 

 and all have nearly the same habits. The 

 eggs, which are little round or oval bodies, 

 like small seed-pearls, are deposited by 



the females in groups upon the leaves of plants and trees, and in Chrysopa each egg is supported 

 upon a long and slender stalk, giving it something of the aspect of a small fungus, for which, 

 indeed, these eggs have been mistaken. The stalk is formed by the secretion from a peculiar 

 gland connected with the oviduct. The female, on applying the extremity of her abdomen 

 to the spot on which she purposes to deposit an egg, allows this glutinous material to adhere 

 to the surface, and then raising the end of her abdomen, with the egg still retained within 

 it, draws out the viscid secretion into a slender hair-like thread, upon the upper end of which 

 the egg is borne when it quits the body of its parent. The general characters of the larvae 

 hatched from these eggs have already been described ; they are distinguished from those of the 



PALPAIIES LIBELLULOIDE8. 



