THE YOUNG NATUE ALIST. 



127 



or Phvyganldce. The larvae live in water, and 

 construct curious cases in which they 

 reside. The cases are made of small stones, 

 shells, bits of stick, grass, &c, fastened 

 together with silk. Each species has its 

 own mode of constructing its case, one 

 being made of one substance, and another 

 of another, or where the same materials are 

 used they are put together in a different j 

 manner. The larvae are soft bodied 

 creatures, much prized by anglers as attrac- 

 tive baits, and indeed they need the protec- 

 tion of their cases to save them from their 

 enemies. When about to change to pupae 

 they spin some silken threads across the 

 opening of their case, to protect them when 

 in this state, for the pupae are motionless 

 and helpless. When ready for the final 

 change the pupa bursts through these silken 

 threads, and swims on the surface. When 

 it meets with any stem of grass or other 

 substance, to which it can attach itself, it 

 splits down the back, as does the Dragon 

 Fly, and the perfect insect appears. It has 

 long antennae, four membranaceous wings, 

 often having the fore wings colored much 

 like a moth, but the membrane itself is 

 colored, not as in Lepidopteva, where small 

 scales produce the markings. At rest it 

 sits with its hind wings folded longitudinaly 

 beneath the fore wings, which meet over 

 the back, forming a very sloping roof. 

 They have mouths like those of Lepidopteva, 

 long tubes for sucking liquids, but not for 

 penetrating any integument, as in some 

 insects. They resemble a moth when on 

 the wing, and are frequently captured in 

 mistake by beginners. They also come 

 freely to sugar, and to light. 



The Ant Lions (Myrmilionlda) in the 

 perfect state much resemble Dragon Flies, 

 but are very different in their earlier stages. 

 Their habits are so curious that they have 

 often been described in popular books. 

 The larva is a curiously shaped creature, 

 with slender legs, so constructed that it can 

 only walk backwards, and that with great 



difficulty , and no one to see its slow, awkward 

 motions could imagine its proper food was 

 insects so active as ants. It digs in dry 

 sand a funnel shaped cavity, jerking the 

 sand away with its head, and sits at the 

 bottom patiently waiting for the luckless 

 wanderer to fall in. If an insect gets over 

 the edge, but is likely to escape the Ant 

 Lion at the bottom jerks sand up, until it 

 brings its prey within its reach. 



The beautiful Lace-winged Flies (Hem- 

 erobii) also belong to this order. We have 

 already named their curious stalked eggs 

 (p. 46). The insects themselves are bright 

 green, with golden eyes, and wings of the 

 most delicate form. The larvae feed on 

 plant lice (Homopteva) whose juices they 

 suck, and they clear away a large number 

 of these pests in an incredibly short space 

 of time. Lace-winged Flies have a very 

 offensive odour, and the Ant Lion, just 

 named, is said to smell like roses. 



The Scorpion Flies (Panovpatce) are 

 peculiar looking insects. The last joints of 

 the abdomen resemble those of the Scor- 

 pion, and they were formerly believed to be 

 flying Scorpions. They have slender 

 bodies, and their wings, which are very 

 narrow, are spotted and banded with black. 

 Bonus hy emails, mentioned by Mr. Dale 

 (p. 91) as a January insect, belongs this 

 group. It is a very small species, and 

 nearly apterous, and is often found jumping 

 about on snow, like a black flea. It is an 

 Alpine insect, though found in England. 



This order seems to be intermediate 

 between the Neuvopteva and Lepidopteva. 

 Some of the species have knobbed antennae 

 like butterflies, and the resemblance of the 

 Caddis Flies to moths, has been already 

 named. Our illustration Plate 1, Fig. 3 b, 

 is a common kind, and may be found near 

 any ditch or pond, and will serve to show 

 the close similarity. 



Our next paper will be on that large and 

 well-known group, Coleopteva or Beetles. 



