Yes, the metamorphosis of the grasshoppers is incomplete, and of the katydids and the crickets and all the other insects we have studied until we came to the dobson. Another name for the larva of insects that undergo an incomplete metamorphosis is _nymph_. Some books speak of the nymph of the grasshopper, and never of the larva of the grasshopper. Such books use the word _larva_ only in speaking of the young of insects that undergo a complete metamorphosis. Yes, Ned, they would speak of the nymph of the dragon fly, and the nymph of the May fly and the nymph of the cricket and the katydid, but they would speak of the larva of the corydalus. Egg, nymph, adult,--those are the stages of insects that have an incomplete metamorphosis. Egg, larva, pupa, adult,--those are the stages of insects that have a complete metamorphosis. No, it is not wrong to say larva instead of nymph. I only want you to know how the word nymph is used, so that when you see it in reading about insects you will know what it means. The corydalus lays its eggs near the water, and it lays a great many--sometimes nearly three thousand. Think of that! The young larvae crawl into the water as soon as they are hatched, and those that escape the hungry fishes grow into these large larvae and finally metamorphose into the big-horned corydalus. It is such a remarkably fierce-looking creature that it has received many names that are neither complimentary nor beautiful, such as conniption bug, alligator, and dragon, and numerous others equally expressive. Now, we must go home. Let us put the dobson back into the brook. It does no harm, and we will not kill it. Yes, Ned, there are smaller insects like the corydalus that are near relatives to it, and I am sure you have often seen them. FAIRY LACEWING Here is our little Lacewing. [Illustration] May says it is a darling, like a woodland fairy clad all in green. And, oh, its eyes! Are they not beautiful? They shine like gold. Do its wings not remind you a little of the wings of the corydalus? May says no, indeed; that has ugly brown wings. But look again, May. See how these wings are veined, and do you not remember how you admired the silvery wings of the corydalus when we spread them out? Yes, it belongs to the same order as the corydalus. The name of the insect order to which they both belong is Neuroptera, from _neuron_, a nerve, and _pteron_--who remembers what _pteron_ means? Yes, a wing. Nerve-winged. What does that mean? It means that the wings are crossed by many nerves or veins. Yes, that is what gives them their lacelike appearance. Pretty golden eye, why do we not oftener see you on the trees and bushes? It is only by accident we found you to-day, down in the grass.