ORUEES OF INSECTS. 



173 



thing on their line of march is destroyed, every leaf is stripped from 

 every tree, every blade of grass and corn is eaten down, and it is 

 not until the ground is utterly bare and brown that the Locusts take 

 wing and seek out some fresh region to devastate. Nearly or quite 

 as destructive aa the Eastern Locust are various species which 

 inhabit North America, and are particularly abundant in the far 

 West. 



Order VII. Neuroptera. 



The mouth in this order is fitted for mastication ; the wings are 

 four in number, generally nearly equal in size, all membranous, and 

 traversed by numerous delicate nervures, which interlace so as to 

 form a delicate network (fig. 119). The metamorphosis is generally 

 incomplete, but is sometimes complete. 



This order includes the well-known and rapacious Dragon-flies 

 (LibelbdidcE), the Caddis-flies (Phri/gianeidce), the May-flies {Epheme- 

 ridw), the Ant-lion {Myrmeleo), the Aphis-lion (fig. 119), Termites, 

 &c. The last of these — namely, the Termites or White Ants (fig. 



Fig. 119. — Neuroptera. Aphis-lion (Chrysopa perld), iinago, larva, and efrgs. 



120) — are social insects, living in organised communities, and ex- 

 hibiting many remarkable phenomena. They are mostly inhabi- 

 tants of hot countries, and cause immense mischief by destroying 

 wood- work of all descriptions. Though called " White Ants," it is 

 to be remembered that they are not related in any way to the true 

 Ants. They build mounds of different shapes and sizes, sometimes 

 several feet in height, formed of " paiticles of earth worked into a 

 material as hard as stone.'' Each family of Termites possesses a 

 king and queen, which are always kept together closely guarded in 



