. Natural history. For the use of schools and families. Zoology. NET-WINGED INSECTS. 283 tribe; for they catch their prey, which consists of Flies, Musquitoes, Butterflies, etc., on the wing. They do this, however, with their claws, and not, like the Swallows, with their mouths. That they may readily see their prey as they fly about so swiftly in search of it, they have very large, compound eyes, as you see in Fig. 20V, one of our common Dragon-flies, or Darning-needles, as they are often called. These formidable-looking insects are en- tirely harmless, never biting or stinging when we catch t
. Natural history. For the use of schools and families. Zoology. NET-WINGED INSECTS. 283 tribe; for they catch their prey, which consists of Flies, Musquitoes, Butterflies, etc., on the wing. They do this, however, with their claws, and not, like the Swallows, with their mouths. That they may readily see their prey as they fly about so swiftly in search of it, they have very large, compound eyes, as you see in Fig. 20V, one of our common Dragon-flies, or Darning-needles, as they are often called. These formidable-looking insects are en- tirely harmless, never biting or stinging when we catch them. They are of great service to us in destroying the Musquitoes, of which they devour a great number. Some species are beautifully variegated in color. 451. The eggs of these insects are deposited on the leaves of aquatic plants. The larvae live wholly in the water. They have some very singular peculiarities. They have a kind of mask with which they can cover up their mandibles and most of the head. But this mask can be unfolded and extended, and, having on its end a pair of claws, it is used as an instrument for seizing their prey, as represented at A in Fig. 208. At B the insect is seen with the mask folded up. You see here, also, water is- suing from the end of the larva's body. It is in this way that it propels itself through the water, just as a rocket. Fig. «08. M. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Hooker, Worthington, 1806-1867. New York, Harper & Brothers
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1883
