THE INSECT WORLD. 



77 



egg-sacs of Lycosid or running spiders. The larva, that succeeds, 

 enters the sac and begins feeding upon the eggs, gradually losing 

 its active form and becoming clumsy and grub-like. The pupa 

 forms within the larval skin, and after midsummer the adult 

 appears. 



Very curious creatures are the PanorpidcE, or ' ' scorpion- 

 flies," usually ranked as an order under the term Mecoptera. 

 They have netted wings similar to but more robust than the 

 " lace-wings," but have the mouth prolonged into a beak, at the 

 end of which the biting parts are situated. In the genus Pan- 

 orpa the males have a pair of huge anal forceps, curved up some- 



legs and body from the side. A Panorpa, or scorpion-fly, and its larva. 



what like the sting of a scorpion, and from this the common name 

 is derived. As a matter of fact, the insects are entirely harmless 

 save to others of their kind, for they are predaceous. The genus 

 Bittacus is narrower winged, with unusually long legs, looking 

 somewhat like a crane-fly at first sight. Species belonging to the 

 genus Boreus occur on the snow in very early spring. The larvse, 

 so far as we know them, are predaceous and resemble caterpillars 

 in appearance ; they have eight pairs of fleshy prolegs, however, 

 while no true caterpillar ever has more than five. None of the 

 species are common and none are of practical importance to the 

 farmer. 



The " caddice-flies" have also been elevated to ordinal rank 

 under the name Trichoptera., or ' ' hairy-winged. ' ' The adults 

 have moderately developed bodies, with large wings, which are 

 more or less densely clothed with hair, the first pair often thicker 



