NEUROPTERA. 
An assemblage of heterogeneous families, united in one order rather for con¬ 
venience than scientific accuracy. There are two pairs of wings, with 
many veins, both functional in flight and often of equal or nearly equal 
size. The mouthparts are mandibulate, usually of the predaceous type. 
The metamorphosis is incomplete in a part, complete in the remainder, 
the pupa usually active at the emergence of the imago. 
In a large number the nymphal or larval life is the only period of long duration 
and activity : in the remainder the imaginal is as long as the nymphal 
and of equal importance. The order includes predaceous and scaveng¬ 
ing, land and aquatic insects. None are parasitic, and none herbivorous. 
The order is here divided into ten families ; grouped in series :— 
No Metamorphosis. 
I.—Wingless and Semiparasitic. 
Mallophaga. —On warm-blooded animals. 
Embiidce. —Two pairs of narrow equal wings, 
few veins. Pro thorax small. 
Termitidce. —Two pairs of narrow equal wings, 
many veined. Pro thorax large. 
Social. 
Psocidce. —Forewing larger than hindwing, 
with few cross veins. Pro thorax 
l small. Gregarious. 
'Perlidce .—Hind wings larger than fore wings, 
folded. Coxae small, wide apart. 
Antennae long. Cerci in some forms. 
Tarsi 3-jointed. 
, Odonata. —Antennae short. Two pairs of sub¬ 
equal wings, not folded over ab¬ 
domen. 
Ephemeridce. —Antennae short. Two or three 
cerci. Hindwings small or absent. 
Wings held upwards. 
11.—Land Insects. 
Pse udoneuroptera. 
III.—Aquatic Insects. 
Neuroptera 
amphibiotica. 
