126 WAYS OF THE SIX-FOOTED 



eyes that shine and glow like liquid gold. As much 

 praise cannot be given to the perfume she affects as 

 to her personal appearance ; many a person who has 

 captured this delicate creature has been surprised at the 

 disagreeable odor she exhaled. However, the very 

 purpose of this questionable perfume is to discourage 

 obtrusive people and birds from becoming too familiar 

 with her. Because of her beauty she has been called 

 " Lace-wing " and " Golden-Eyes " by her admirers, but 

 her scientific name is Chrysopa, and her family is called 

 the ChrysopincB. 



We might naturally infer that such a lovely mother 

 would have most attractive children, but this is far 

 from true. The young of Madam Lace-wing are short- 

 legged, spindle-shaped, sturdy little fellows, with no 

 signs of wings but with great sickle-shaped jaws. Now 

 the form of insect jaws is the unfailing index of insect 

 character J when they are sharp pointed and huge, as 

 in this case, they mean death and destruction to any 

 smaller insect unfortunate enough to cross the path 

 of their owner. The more common prey of the young 

 Chrysopa are the aphids or plant-lice; so destructive 

 to the aphis are these bloodthirsty creatures that they 

 are known as aphis-lions. Although we may not look 

 with pleasure on such wholesale slaughter, yet we must 

 confess that we owe the aphis-lions a vote of thanks for 



