THE PAXORPINiB. 34] 



(302.) Our next sub-family, the PANORPiNyE, are 

 peculiar for the possession of an elongated rostrum^ at 

 the apex of which is the mouth ; and in the typical 

 genus Panorpa itself, the abdomen is lengthy, attenu- 

 ated, and recurved, the terminal segment being con- 

 siderably swollen, and having prehensile chelae at its 

 extremity in the male. From the resemblance of this 

 appendage to the tail of a scorpion, they are called 

 scorpion flies : they occur abundantly in meadows, 

 about the summer solstice ; and, although so common, 

 they are unknown in their larva state. In this same 

 family, we observe the apterous small Northern genus 

 Boreus, in which the ovipositor of the female is formed 

 not unlike that of a Gryllus, and their males only have 

 the indication of wings. This genus occurs in the 

 northern parts of this island, usually during the winter, 

 and it has even been caught tripping along upon the 

 snow, at a period when complete torpidity suspends the 

 animation of the rest of the insect world ; excepting 

 only, also, the little apterous ChionecB, another Northern 

 genus, but belonging to the circle of the Diptera, which 

 is found almost exclusively upon the snow. We here, 

 in this sub-family, further observe the long-legged 

 genus Bittacus, and the long-winged Nemoptera; the 

 former resembling a Tipula, but having four wings of 

 equal size. In Nemoptera, the anterior wings are large, 

 and nearly circular ; and the posterior pair very long 

 and filiform, being usually at least three times the 

 length of the body : in the form of its proboscis, this 

 genus makes the transition to Chorista, and thus con- 

 veniently associates here instead of in connection with 

 Myrmecoleon ; for Chorista, although in all the other 

 particulars of structure it resembles Panorpa, has not 

 the prolonged rostrum of the latter. It is a native of 

 New Holland, that world of wonders in its animal and 

 vegetable forms. 



(303.) Passing to our next family, the Termitin^, 

 we come to the only tribe of insects out of the circle of 

 Hymeuoptera, which exhibit social habits. Man mea- 



z 3 



