66 



THE YOUNG NATUEALIST 



4. LiBELLULiD^. — This section com- 

 prises the dragon flies, and although not of 

 very large extent, it is greater than either of 

 the preceeding sections. The insects are 

 mostly of moderate size, some large, and too 

 well known to need description, The early 

 states are active and aquatic. 



5. Hemerobiid^.— The insects of this 

 section are popularly known as lace-winged 

 flies, and one of the largest species, Chrysojpa 

 perla, is a common insect in woods. It is 

 pale green with brassy eyes. In the larva 

 state they live upon trees and plants, where 

 they devour small insects, especially aphides, 

 and assume their pupa state in a cocoon. 



6. PANORPiDiE. — These insects live among 

 herbage, and have the wings more or less 

 spotted with black. The extremity of the 

 abdomen is armed with a pincer-like appara- 

 tus, which gives to them the name of 

 scorpion flies. Only a few species are found 

 in this country. 



7. RAPHIDI1D.E. — A small genus of small 

 insects, at once distinguished by the very 

 elongated pro-thorax, which gives them a 

 snake-like appearance. 



Sub-Order TRICHOPTERA. 

 These insects are all greatly similar both 

 in habits and appearances. In the larva 

 state they live in water, chiefly in a portable 

 case made of bits of sticks, stones, or shells, 

 held together by silk spun by the larva. 

 The pupa remains in the case until ready to 

 assume the perfect state. The antennae 

 and legs are held in separate cases, and the 

 jaws are used for breaking through the case, 

 otherwise it is quiescent. The following 

 table of families is copied from Mr. McLach- 

 lan's monograph, and is arranged according 

 to the number of joints in the maxillary 

 palpi of the males : — 

 A. — Not more than four joints. 



a. — Joints 4 Phryganidcd. 



aa. ,, 3 Limne^MlidcB . 



aaa. ,, 2 or 3, difl'ering greatly in struc- 

 ture from those the female, Sericostomidce, 



aaa. 4, insects minute and very hairy 



Hyd/i'optilidcB. 



B. — Five joints (similar to those of female). 

 &. — Palpi very hairy, terminal joint flexible 



but simple Leptoceridce, 



hi). — Palpi as a rule slightly hairy, terminal 



joint very long and multiarticulate 



Eydropsyclvidce. 

 Wh. — Palpi usually scarcely hairy, terminal 



joint cylindrical RhyacojpMlidcB. 



The larva of the first five families live in 

 portable cases ; those of the other two, 

 either free, under stones, or in fixed cases. 



Order V. LEPIDOPTERA. 



The nearest related insects to the last 

 sub-order are those of the present one. So 

 nearly related are they, that several genera 

 have been described both as Lepidopterous 

 and Trichopterous, the most noticeable of 

 these being the well-known Acentropus. 

 Hence, the order Lepidoptera should begin 

 with those insects most nearly related to 

 the Trichoptera. For further views upon 

 the subject, see the " Naturalist" for Janu- 

 ary, 1883, where a paper appears upon this 

 subject, in which the Lepidopterous families 

 axe arranged in the following order :— - 



PyraleSy beginning with AcmtropuSf Ey- 

 drocam^uSj &c. 



CramVUes, 



Pterophorina, 



Tineina. 



Tortricina, 



Geometrina, beginning with the "pugs" 

 and ending with such genera as Amphy- 

 dasis, &c. 



Noctua, beginning with the Noctua-Geo- 

 metriformes and ending with the Noctua- 

 Bombeciformes ( Acronycta). 



Bombyces, including the principal of those 

 species now arranged after M. arundi7iis, 

 and terminating with S. car^ini, 



Diurni, beginning with those with spiny 

 larvse and ending with the skippers. 



SpliingidcB, including the Zygcemdce^ hawk 

 moths and clear-wings. 



