138 
NEUROPTERA. 
together above the body in an upright position and, with the long anal 
processes, are very distinctive. Some are small very delicate insects, 
not longer than 5 mm. with a span of nearly 10 mm. ; others are larger, 
but none are very large. Eyes are larger in the males than in the females, 
the upper portion with larger facets than the lower and sometimes 
divided. In some cases the upper half is much larger and raised on a 
large projection above the head. The antennae are short, the mouth- 
parts feebly developed or absent. The mesothorax is well developed, 
the abdomen sessile, ten-jointed and glabrous. There is no ovipositor; 
the male has longer forelegs (often very long) than the female, and dis¬ 
tinct jointed claspers. The venation is complex. The colours are grey 
or pearly, the wings transparent, faintly tinged, or with dark markings. 
The life-history is similar to that of other aquatic insects. Eggs 
are laid in water, either loosely or in compact masses ; Eaton records 
seeing Baetis descend under water to lay her eggs under a stone 
and this is apparently habitual in some species. The nymphs are 
slender insects, usually with long abdominal processes, with long 
antennae and well developed biting mouthparts. The food is said 
to be mud, or minute aquatic vegetation, but some are certainly 
predaceous. They live in various situations and beyond the fact that 
they are to be found in fresh water in India, not much is known. All 
have gills on some part of the body for the purpose of extracting 
