NEUROPTERA. 199 
Mantispa, Jdlig.—Ruaruamia, Scop. Lin.—Mantis, Fab. 
Pall. Oliv., 
Where there are five joints to all the tarsi, and the two first legs are 
formed like those of a Mantis or adapted for prehension. The an- 
tenne of these Insects are very short and granose, and their eyes 
large. The prothorax is very long, and thickened anteriorly, and the 
Wings are tectiform *. 
Ruaruipia, Lin. Fab., 
Where the tarsi are composed of four joints and the wings are tecti- 
form. The head is elongated and narrowed posteriorly, the thorax 
long, narrow, and almost cylindrical. The abdomen of the female 
terminates by a long external oviduct, formed of two lamine. 
R. ophiosis, L.; De Geer, Insect,, I], xxv, 4—8. Half an 
inch long; black; abdomen marked with yellowish streaks ; 
wings transparent, with a black spot near the extremity. In the 
woods. 
The larva lives in the fissures of the bark of trees, and has the 
form of a little Serpent. It is very lively t. 
Termes, Hemerosius, Lin., 
Where all the tarsi are likewise composed of four joints; but the 
wings are very long, and laid horizontally on the body; the head is 
rounded, and the thorax almost square or semicircular. 
The body of these Insects is depressed, and their antennee are short 
and formed like a chaplet. The mouth is almost similar to that of 
the Orthoptera, and the labium is quadrifid. They have three ocelli, 
one of which, on the forehead, is indistinct; the two others are 
situated, one on each side, near the inner margin of the ordinary eyes. 
Their wings are commonly somewhat diaphanous, coloured, fur- 
nished with extremely fine and crowded nervures, and not very dis- 
tinctly reticulated. Their abdomen has two small, conical, biarticu- 
lated points at the extremity ; the legs are short. 
The Termites, peculiar to the countries situated between the tro- 
pics, or to those which are adjacent, are known by the name of White 
Ants, Poux de bots, Caria, &c. The appalling destruction caused 
by these Insects, particularly in the state of larvee, in those parts of 
the world, is but too well known. These larvee, the working Termites 
or /ahourers, bear a close resemblance to the perfect Insect; but 
their body is softer and apterous, and their head, which appears pro- 
portionally larger, is usually destitute of eyes, or has but very small 
ones. They live in society, and form communities so numerous 
as to defy all calculation, which live under cover in the ground, 
trees, and all sort of ligneous articles, such as tables, chairs, 
* Lat., Gen. Cruet. et [nsect., III, p. 93. 
t+ Lat., Ib., p. 203; Fab., Entom, Syst., and Illiger’s edit. of the Fauna Etrusca 
of Rossi. 
