401 



INTRODUCTION TO THE ARTICULATED ANIMALS WITH 



ARTICULATED LEGS.* 



BY M. P. A. LATREILLE. 



Overwhelmed by the variety of his occupations, and yielding too easily to the im- 

 pulse of friendship, M. Cuvier has confided to me the portion of this work which treats 

 upon insects. 



These animals were the objects of his earliest studies in zoology, and hence origin- 

 ated his friendship with Fabricius, one of the most celebrated disciples of Linna?us, who 

 has repeatedly, in his works, shown evidences of his particular esteem. Various inte- 

 resting observations upon some of these animals, published in the Journal d'Histoire 

 Naturelle, formed the prelude to his works upon natural history. Entomology, like the 

 other branches of zoology, has derived the greatest advantages from his anatomical re- 

 searches, and the happy modifications which he has thence made in the groundwork of our 

 classification. The external structure of insects has been better understood; and this 

 branch of the science has no longer been neglected, as it had previously been. His 

 Tableau Elementaire de VHistoire Naturelle, and Lecons d'Anatomie Comparde, have 

 pointed out the path to the natural method. The public will therefore have cause to 

 regret that his numerous pursuits would not permit him to undertake this portion 

 of his treatise upon animals. 



In undertaking this work, my object has been to unite, in as narrow limits as possible, 

 the most striking facts in the history of insects ; to arrange these animals with precision 

 and clearness, in a natural series ; to sketch their physiognomy ; to trace, in as few- 

 words as possible, their distinguishing features, adopting apian which shall be in rela- 

 tion to the progressive advance of the science and of the student ; to notice the bene- 

 ficial and obnoxious species, — indicating, at the same time, the best sources where he 

 may attain a knowledge of the other species; to reduce the science to the engaging 

 simplicity which it exhibited in the days of Linua?us, Geoffroy, and the earlier works 

 ol Fabricius, and yet to present it as it now appears, enriched but not overcharged with 

 recent observations and researches; — in a word, to make it conformable to the work 

 of Cuvier. 



This author, in his Tableau Elementaire de VHistoire Naturelle des Animaux, did not 

 limit the extent of the class of insects, as restricted by Linnaeus, but introduced Dec* B- 



• ! i > obserretloni appeared Id both adltloni ol the llahod in the Internalng period. In like manner, the Internal anal 



■ '"'""■'. it :i .1 bereli to ael forth the nf these enlmala had been greatly atodled>-tbn fences, 

 f r 1 1 principle! open irhlch all erranfenunrt of the Unaaju Inaecta affording mora certain proofs .,i the aolkHtj uf man; of the ur.iup. pan- 

 tree founded. In the accond edition, the oamo general daaaldcatlon rioaaly proposed, nod of wi d structure It there! 

 waa adopted, bat considerable altera! made In the arrange- nrcroargr io •drf tlic details to the generally cstaranl ch,racicr 



mentofthe lecondarjr and irrturtr group,, ,uch a, familici, genera, 

 etc.. It haring been Impoaalble to bring thsworh down t<> II 

 preaenl ! ii ritbont au tying tin- fonaax i 



mi' Mi, anil nuiklng greal ad lltlonai ao thai two roll qulattc 



Instead uf one, to as genera pub 



green i so tli»t this sec itrictly to be 



■ 'i »• an entirely non erork*] 

 •.' Thnmghontthe Articulated portion of ihr pmrnt cilition, tee 

 I passages are end rial aareutheeen, tho, . \. 



1> I) 



