592 



NEUROPTERA. 



although in part characterizing the Mantispids, ami whicli are 

 in complete harmon}- Avitli the Orthopterous type." (American 

 Journal of Science and Ails, 1SG4. p. 33.) 



Professor Dana farther states "that in the 

 broad costate femurs of the second i)air of 

 legs and the form of the prothorax, it ap- 

 proaches the Orthopters of the Phylliuni 

 family, and is very unlike any knoAvn Neu- 

 ropters. The anterior legs are peculiar in 

 having a large and broad femur armed above 

 with very slender spines as long as the joint, 

 three of which, though mutilated, are seen in 

 the specimen. But something of this kind 

 is observed under Neuropters in the Mantis- 

 pids. It is quite probable that these anterior 

 Fig. 574. legs were prehensile, as in Mantispa, and the 



fact that the tibia and tarsus arc not in sight in the specimen, 

 favors this conclusion. . . . There appears to have been a pair 

 of short obtuse appendages at the extrcmit}^ of the abdomen, 



much as in Fh^dlium. The 

 -head is mostly obliterated." 

 Mr. S. I-I. Scudder in the 

 "Memoirs of ihe Boston So- 

 ciety of Natural History" for 

 1867, shows that the vena- 

 tion of this genus recalls fea- 

 tures of several other Neu- 

 ropterous families, such as the 

 Termiticlce, the Hemero- 

 bidce and Sialidce. 



Mr. Scudder, who has given 

 a restoration of this remark- 

 able insect, states that the 

 head is somewhat like that of 

 Perla, being oval, depressed, with long oval Lateral eyes. 

 These two authors disagree as to the "fore legs" (•Dana), Mr. 

 Scudder calling the parts so designated by Professor Dana, 

 the head. Gerstaecker states his opinion that Miaraia is 

 "without doubt a Perlarian." 



