356 MOTIONS OF INSECTS: 
alight. Another species (Zshna variegata) very com- 
mon in lanes and along hedges, which flies, like the 
Orthoptera, in a waving line, is equally alert and active 
after its prey. This, however, often alights for a mo- 
ment, and then resumes its gay excursive flights. ‘The 
species of the genus Agrion cut the air with less velocity; 
but so rapid is the motion of their wings, that they be- 
come quite invisible. Hawking always about for prey, 
the Agrions, from the variety of the colours of different 
individuals, form no uninteresting object during a sum- 
mer stroll. With respect to the mode of flight of the 
other neuropterous tribes I have nothing to remark; for 
that of the Ephemera, which has been most noticed, I 
shall consider under another head. 
The next order of insects, the Hymenoptera, attract 
also general attention as fliers, and from our earliest 
years. The ferocious hornet, with its trumpet of terror; 
the intrusive and indomitable wasp; the booming and. 
pacific humble-bee, the frequent prey of merciless school- 
boys; and that universal favourite, the industrious inha- 
bitant of the hive,—all belonging to it,—are familiar to 
every one. And in summer-time there is scarcely a flower 
or leaf in field or garden, which is not visited by some of 
its numerous tribes. The four wings of these insects, 
the upper pair of which are larger than the under, vary 
much in their nervures. From the saw-flies (Tenthredz- 
nide), whose wings are nearly as much reticulated as 
those of some Neuroptera, to the minute Chalcis and 
Psilus, in which these organs are without nervures, there 
is every intermediate variety of reticulation that can be 
imagined?. It has been observed, that the nervures of 
@ Jurine Hymenopt. t, 2-5, 
