THE MYRMECOLEONTIN^E. 33$ 



very powerful mandibles, organs which it possessed of 

 fearful capacity in its preliminary stages, but which 

 then had the adjunctive assistance of a singular appa- 

 ratus, which, in repose, covers the lower portion of the 

 face like a mask ; but which, possessing a lengthy joint, 

 the insect has the power of projecting forwards; and it 

 thus forms a prehensile organ, by means of its lateral 

 articulated hooks, whereby the creature seizes its prey, 

 and conveys it to the mouth ; and this is doubtless to 

 compensate for its imperfect means of progression through 

 the water. The eyes of the larger genera of the perfect 

 insects for instance, of (Eshna and Libellula occupy 

 nearly the whole of the head ; whilst Calepteryx and 

 Lestes are distinguished for the brilliant metallic colours 

 of their wings and bodies. They are all natives of all 

 parts of the world, throughout which they are tolerably 

 equally distributed. 



(301.) The MYRMECOLEONTIN^E differ considerably 

 from the preceding insects ; thus although they have 

 equally prominent eyes, they have never ocelli ; their 

 mandibles are comparatively small ; they have lengthy 

 palpi, organs wholly deficient in the preceding ; and their 

 antennae, instead of being subulated, as in those insects, 

 are here, although short, considerably clavated, and the 

 club is compressed and curved. These characters are 

 sufficient to distinguish them from the preceding, did 

 not their larvae totally disunite them. Their economy, 

 in this stage of their existence, is exceedingly interest- 

 ing. This larva, even more unlike the former, than is 

 the perfect insect, inhabits dry sandy situations : here 

 it forms a funnel-shaped hollow, the superior edges of 

 which, when the larva is approximate to its full growth, 

 are' about a foot in diameter ; and the sides are formed of 

 such loose sand, that any insect approaching the edge, 

 inevitably slides down ; where, at the inverted conical 

 bottom, this creature lies with merely its large man- 

 dibles protruding, ready to seize the unfortunate crea- 

 ture that comes within its grasp, which is sucked com- 

 pletely dry. Having thus exhausted its juices, the 

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