JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
September 2, 1880. ] 
217 
summer proves dry the plants have a greater depth of good soil to 
root in and obtain support, while if it proves wet the excessive 
moisture can drain away to the certain advantage of the crop. 1 
perceive that Mr. Ingram of Belvoir, who gave useful evidence 
before the Potato Disease Committee at the House of Commons, 
is also of this opinion. Planting 5 inches deep in March is only 
safe in light soils ; on heavy land it as often fails as succeeds to 
produce the desired object—a full and sound crop. I do not wish 
it to be understood that I speak disapprovingly generally of the 
little volume I have mentioned ; on the contrary, it is cheap at 
the price advertised in the Journal, and those who wish to possess 
a concise history of the Potato disease cannot do better than do 
as I have done, purchase the book.—A Lincolnshire Potato 
Grower. 
CHAPTERS ON INSECTS FOR GARDENERS.—No. 10. 
NEW SERIES. 
Those insects that have been already mentioned belonging to 
the Neuropterous order (sometimes called the Dragon-fly order, 
though it contains species which vary considerably from the insects 
popularly taken as its representatives), in their larval and pupal 
stages exist beneath the surface of the water, and are active from 
the moment they quit the eggshell. In the second division of 
the Neuroptera, to which is given the formidable-looking Latin 
name of Subnecromorjjhotica , the pupa is quiescent, and all save 
one genus have larva that are terrestrial and not aquatic. But 
before examining these we must briefly notice the curious little 
insects in the genus Psocus, which appear to stand midway between 
the two divisions of the Neuroptera. The head in the perfect 
insect is large, furnished with long antennae and prominent eyes ; 
the body has a squat look about it, and the wings are sometimes 
absent as in P. pulsatoria, the species that has received the un¬ 
pleasing appellation of the Book Louse. It by no means, however, 
confines itself to books, but frequents bundles of old papers, and 
also dried collections of plants. The name pulsatoria was given 
because the insect was thought to produce a ticking sound at 
regular intervals like the death watch, but this is now believed to 
be a mistake. Dr. Hagen, in the “ Entomologists’ Annual,” some 
years since endeavoured to vindicate the character of the species, 
asserting that it did very trifling harm to the books or other 
articles amongst which it is found. In spite of the Doctor’s in¬ 
genious explanations we must think the circumstances are rather 
suspicious ; the damage, whatever it may be, is done by the larva, 
a pale worm-like creature that glides rapidly off when an attempt 
is made to secure it. To preserve herbaria from the possible attacks 
of this Psocus all interstices should be closed against the entrance 
of the fly, and doubtless the odour of turpentine or any powerful 
aromatic oil would be a deterrent. Other species in this genus 
are found about hollows in tree trunks, old palings, and walls, where 
they probably feed either upon decaying wood or small lichens. 
Proceeding to the lacewing flies we find a group of small insects, 
not without a resemblance to the dragon flies, but their wings, 
large though they are, seem to be of little service to the insects, 
their flight being sluggish. Hence they must form an easy prey 
to birds. Some are perhaps carried to their nests by the insect¬ 
eating species ; but the strong and offensive odour that many of 
these flies emit when they are touched may serve as a protection 
against such attacks. The eye is an organ of remarkable brilliancy 
in the family, and in the dusk of the evening its golden or ruby 
hue renders one of these insects very noticeable. The common 
lacewing fly, Hemirobius pirla, is one of the important foes of 
aphides, though it can scarcely rival that of the Syrphus in its 
slaughter of these garden pests, if about equal in merit to the 
larva of the ladybirds (Coccinellm). Reaumur, we find, called them 
Plant-lice lions, and he fancied they also preyed upon small cater¬ 
pillars, a fact that we have not observed as yet. The eggs of this 
and other species of Hemerobius are placed upon footstalks re¬ 
sembling hairs, and arranged in clusters of from six to ten. Mr. 
A. J. Butler has watched the females in the critical operation of 
depositing these eggs. They first place upon the leaf a drop of 
glutinous matter, which is drawn up by the abdomen into a thread. 
After waiting a short time for this to dry the females lay an egg 
upon the point, securing it there by a drop of gum. The larva of 
this species is admirably fitted for its mode of life, having power¬ 
ful mandibles and a muscular neck. It is the habit of H. pirla, 
and of its relatives that are also feeders upon aphides, merely to 
suck the juices of their victims, leaving a track of shrivelled 
carcases as tokens of work accomplished. Should two of them 
meet they usually engage in a combat, the victor eating the van¬ 
quished at the conclusion. Mauy of these larvse attain their full 
size in about a fortnight, spinning their compact silken cocoons on 
leaves or twigs. We have nearly fifty British species of the 
Hemirobidje. 
The Panorpidm form a small family, but although the species 
are few the insects are particularly conspicuous, being frequently 
seen in gardens, and also by the roadsides upon hedges or banks. 
These may claim to be ranked amongst useful insects from their 
doings both as larvae and as flies. The popular name of “ Scorpion 
Flies ” applied to them has arisen from the conformation of the 
abdomen, the joints of which resemble those of a scorpion. The 
legs are of singular appearance when they are examined with a 
moderately strong magnifier, being ranged with rows of toothed 
spines and adorned also with spurs, while the comb-like claws 
at the tips remind us of a conformation noticeable amongst some 
of the spiders. In Panorpus communis, a familiar example, there 
is a forceps or pincers at the tail of the male insect; the female 
has a pliable ovipositor or egg-placer, by means of which the 
eggs are laid beneath the earth. The head, which has been said 
to be horse-like in its shape, is armed with a beak, by which the 
scorpion fly is able to pierce the bodies of the insects upon which 
it preys. In some seasons these flies help to reduce the numbers 
of caterpillars, which are naturally unable to escape from winged 
and agile insect enemies. The old naturalist Aristotle has de¬ 
scribed some flies with spotted wings that he observed upon the 
bushes in summer, and which seem to be the Panorpidse ; but he 
had not made acquaintance with the larvae or grubs. These, 
Fig. 48.—Raphidia ophiopsis : larva, pupa, and imago. 
it has lately been discovered, live underground, feeding upon 
animal or vegetable substances that are undergoing decay. It is 
possible, however, that they occasionally attack the healthy root¬ 
lets of plants, though not to such an extent as to be productive of 
marked injury to vegetation ; otherwise, the proceedings of the 
larvae of scorpion flies must be called beneficial, putting them 
amongst the scavengers of insect parentage. 
A curious insect allied to the Panorpidae, but which stands 
alone, so to speak, is Boreus hyemalis. It is not much beyond 
the size of a large aphis w r ith long legs, and wings only partially 
developed in the male, resembling a tiny hump on the back, 
therefore useless for flight. The female has no wings. From its 
habit of emerging during the depth of winter it is seldom noticed 
even by entomologists. 
We quit the Neuropterous order with a brief mention of the 
last group that has to be considered, the snake flies. We possess 
five species in Britain that belong to the genus Raphidia, so 
called from a Greek word meaning a “ needle,” and which was 
suggested by the peculiar narrowing of the top of the thorax into 
a long neck which supports a broad flattened head. The wings 
of moderate size are strongly veined, but from the movements of 
one of these flies it may be thought that it is rather by dexterity 
than by speed that those insects are captured upon which it feeds. 
The snake flies are partial to the vicinity of ponds and ditches, 
though the larvae are not aquatic ; the few that have been detected 
were found under the bark of trees leading a predatory life. Our 
largest species is R. ophiopsis, its appellation implying that it is 
not onlj snake-like as to its neck but “snake-eyed” also. The 
larvae is slim, and shows a snaky resemblance as well as the fly it 
produces ; for Prof. Westwood having captured one, observed that 
it crept along slowly, though when it moved “ it gave the body 
violent jerks from side to side somewhat like those of a serpent.” 
In size the snake flies approach the lacewing flies. The females 
have a long double-bladed ovipositor.—C. 
HANDSWORTH FLOWER SHOW. 
ON Wednesday last, the 25th ult., the inhabitants of Handsworth, 
near Sheffield, were very busy, it being the day set apart for holding 
the annual Exhibition of' plants, flowers, fruits, and vegetables. It 
was the seventeenth meeting, and I hear the Show fully maintained 
its reputation, being quite equal on the whole to preceding years. 
Some classes were deficient in the number of competitors, such 
as those for Grapes, Peaches, and Nectarines, and other fruits, 
principally in the open class, while others were well filled, 
and the various prizes offered keenly contested. Owing to the 
season, which has not been a good one for fruit-growing here, the 
