Order EPHEMERIDA. 



These are popularly known as "May flies " because of the time of their 

 greatest abundance, and "day flies" because of their short life in the adult 

 stage. The ordinal term is based upon the same peculiarity in their life-history. 

 The adults have two pairs of wings, very closely net-veined, frail in texture, 

 and the anterior much larger than the posterior. The head is large, set on a 

 distinct neck, the mouth parts are aborted, the eyes prominent and the antenme 

 very short. The body is loosely jointed and the abdomen has long anal fila- 

 ments, varying from three to five in number. The insects are attracted to 

 light, and swarms often come on favorable evenings in early summer to the 

 electric lights in our cities. The early stages are passed in the water, the larva, 

 half crustacean in appearance, feeding upon the mud and ooze for a consider- 

 ble period of years in some species. 



There are many peculiar and interesting characters in this the oldest or least 

 developed of our Neuroptera ; but their existence can only be indicated here. 

 None of the species are of any economic importance from any point of view. 



Family EPHEMERIDiE. 



POLYMITARCYS Eaton. 

 P. alba Say. New Brunswick in July. 



HEXAG-ENIA Walsh. 



H. bilineata Say. Caldwell (Cr), Westville VI, Riverton VII (Jn), New 



Brunswick. 

 H. limbata Say. Echo Dake, Passaic County, VII, 2, Normanock, Sussex 



Co. VII (Ds). 



EPHEMERA Linn. 

 E. decora Wlk. Caldwell, common (Cr). 



BLASTURUS Eaton. 



B. cupidus Say. Fort Lee V, I, Staten Island IV, 17, 27 (Ds), Caldwell (Cr), 



Westville IV, 9 (Jn), Jamesburg. 

 B. nebulosus Wlk. Caldwell (Cr). 



HEPTAGENIA Walsh. 

 H canadensis Wlk. Caldwell (Cr), Del. Water Gap VII (Jn), New Bruns- 

 wick. 



H. fusca Wlk. Caldwell, not rare (Cr). 

 H interpunctata Say. Riverton, VII (Jn). 

 H. pulchella Walsh. Del. Water Gap VII (Jn). 

 H. verticalis Say. Canada to Georgia. 

 H. vicaria Wlk. Canada to Georgia. 



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