252 



ZOOLOGY. 



[PART II. 



The Stick-insect The Phasmidce or spectres, another 

 class of orthoptera, present as close a resemblance to 

 small branches or leafless twigs as their congeners do 

 to green leaves. The wing-covers, where they exist, 

 instead of being expanded, are applied so closely to the 

 body as to detract nothing from its rounded form, and 

 hence the name which they have acquired of " walking- 

 sticks" Like the Phyllium, the Phasma lives exclusively 

 on vegetables, and some attain the length of several 

 inches. 



Of all the other tribes of the Orthoptera Ceylon pos- 

 sesses many representatives ; in swarms of cockroaches, 

 grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets. 



NEUKOPTERA. Dragon-flies. Of the Neuroptera, some 

 of the dragon-flies are pre-eminently beautiful ; one 

 species, with rich brown-coloured spots upon its gauzy 

 wings, is to be seen near every pool. 1 Another 2 , which 

 dances above the mountain streams in Oovah, and 

 amongst the hills descending towards Kandy, gleams 

 in the sun as if each of its green enamelled wings 

 had been sliced from an emerald. 3 



The Ant-lion. Of the ant-lion, whose larva? have 

 earned a bad renown from their predaceous ingenuity, 

 Ceylon has, at least, four species, which seem peculiar 

 to the island. 4 This singular creature, preparatory to its 

 pupal transformation, contrives to excavate a conical pitfall 

 in the dust to the depth of about an inch, in the bottom 

 of which it conceals itself, exposing only its open man- 

 dibles above the surface ; and here every ant and soft- 

 bodied insect which curiosity tempts to descend, or acci- 

 dent may precipitate into the trap, is ruthlessly seized and 

 devoured by its ambushed inhabitant. 



1 Libelhda pulchatta. 



2 Euphcca xplendenn, Ilagen. 



3 Gymnacantha Mibinterrupta,~Rmn\>. 

 distinguished by its large size, is plen- 

 tiful about the mountain streamlets. 



4 Palpares contrarius, Walker ; 

 Myrmclcon qravis, Walker ; M. dims, 

 Walker ; M. barbarm, Walker. 



