54 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



transparent and delicate, whence the name lace-winged is derived ; the eyes 

 hemispherical, prominent and golden bronzed. They have a peculiarly 

 sickening odor when handled, reminding one of an ill-kept urinal, fhey are 

 decidedly beneficial and sufficiently numerous to be accounted a notable check 

 to plant-lice increase. 



The Hemerobiida; resemble the preceding in appearance and habits, but are 

 usually brown in color and there is a structural difference in venation, which is 

 technical in character. The larvse make a sac for themselves of the skins of 

 their victims and other dirt particles. The eggs in both families are laid at the 

 top of a slender thread or stalk and pupation takes place in a round parchment- 

 like cocoon. 



The Myrmeleonidce are ant lions in the larval stage, and the adults are much 

 larger than any of the preceding families, besides having the antennae clubbed 

 at tip : gradually so when they are short, abruptly when they are 

 long. The larvas have the peculiar habit of building a conical pit 

 in sand or dry earth, at the bottom of which they await the prey 

 that may unwarily investigate too close to its edge. They can 

 scarcely be considered useful, though, at least, not in any way 

 injurious. 



Taken as a whole, then, the order is decidedly useful or bene- 

 ficial from the economic standpoint. 

 It may be in place here to say that the general arrangement in all the Neu • 

 ropterous orders is based upon the Catalogue published by Mr. N. Banks in the 

 Trans. Am. Ent. Soc, vol. xix, 1892. 



Family MANTISPIDiE. 



MANTISPA 111. 

 M. brunnea Say. New Jersey (Bt), Jamesburg VII, 4, very rare. 

 M. interrupta Say. Philadelphia, Lahaway in June. 



Family CONIOPTERYGIDiE. 



ALETJRONIA Pitch. 

 A. westwoodii Fitch. South Jersey, on oak, July. 



CONIOPTERYX Halid. 

 C. vicina Hageu. Washington, D. C. 



