NEUROPTERA. 
345 
a little more than one-half as long as the mesonotum. The prgescutum 
is well marked, small, divided by the median line into two transversely 
oblong pieces, the broad end next to the median line. 
The scutum is deeply cleft behind for the reception of the triangular 
scutelluui, the anterior part of the latter nearly reaching the front edge 
of the scutum. It is narrower than long, the lateral sutures obscure. 
The postscutellimi is wanting. 
Pleurim. 
Propleurum. (Fig. 4.) The episternum and epimerum are minute, 
rudimentary. 
Mesopleurum. The meso- and metapleurites are high and short; the 
metapleurites a little shorter than the meso-; in this respect much as 
in Lepidoptera. The episternum is not subdivided ; it is square oblong, 
nearly three times as long (deep) as wide. The epimerum is narrower, 
but of nearly the same shape, but excavated by the wing-membrane. 
The coxae are long, narrow, conical, as long as the episternite; the tro- 
chantiue one-half as wide as the coxa. 
Metapleurum. (Fig. G.) The episternum is much narrower than the 
mesepisternum, especially towards the wings, and the epimerum is nearly 
as wide as in the mesopleurum. The coxae are fuller and thicker than 
those of the mesothorax, while the trochautiue is much smaller, being 
one-half as thick and shorter than in the mesothorax. 
Sternum. 
The prosternum is short, but distinctly developed. The mesosternum 
is rather large, about two-thirds as long as broad, produced backward 
in the middle, with a subacute apex. The metasternum is obsolete, rep- 
resented by a membranous area. 
THE ABDOMEN. 
The abdomen (Fig. 7-9) is long and slender, cylindrical, much as in the 
lower Lepidoptera. There are nine uromeres equally well developed, the 
eighth not much smaller than the preceding one; there are eight urites, 
the eighth very short. The pleural region is membranous, broad, but 
obsolete on the first and eighth uromeres, with a spiracle in the middle 
of each of the first eight pleuritic areas. 
It will be observed that the Trichoptera occupy a much higher sys- 
tematic position than any of the foregoing groups. This is seen in the 
loss of two terminal segments in the abdomen, in the small concentrated 
head, and the subspherical thorax. 
The Trichoptera and Panorpidie differ from the other Neuroptera in 
having the trochautiue well developed and nearly as large or larger 
than the coxa*; in this respect and in the form of the legs they closely 
resemble the Lepidoptera. Brauer* has called attention to the fact 
that in the Trichoptera and Pauorphhe the coxie are divided into two 
halves. 
23 E c 
