72 PARTIAL ORISMOLOGY. 



confusion, by applying the terms in general use to signify the parts of 

 the superior animal, and he therefore called that entire division the 

 thorax ; and he distinguished its upper surface as the thorax superior, 

 and its lower one as thorax inferior *. Thus all difficulties were at 

 once removed. But Kirby and Spence re-adopted the obsolete, incor- 

 rect nomenclature, endeavouring to justify their course by its priority ; 

 and in addition to which they named every possible part with such 

 excessive and painful precision, and even every direction or position of 

 the body, that the multitude of terms which their imagination has con- 

 ceived, and, it must be admitted, not always very happily, is sufficient 

 to excite astonishment. Before them, Knoch had essayed an orismo- 

 logical detail of the thorax f, but which also does not suffice for every 

 requisition ; but, that we may be as complete as possible, we will give 

 a summary of his, as well as of Kirby and Spence's prolix nomenclature. 



According to Knoch, the body of a beetle for it is only to the 

 Coleoptera that his names apply exclusive of its head, consists of 

 the trunk (truncus), which comprises the neck (collwm), the breast 

 (pecfus), the abdomen, the scutelluni, and the wing-cases (elytra). 



The neck (collum, our prothorcui) is divided into the upper side 

 (thorax), and the under side (juguhim). In the centre of the under 

 side is found a prominent narrow portion, the collar-bone (sternum 

 collare, cartilago ensiformis, Lin.). That portion of the trunk which 

 lies between the neck and abdomen, but which above is covered by the 

 elytra, he calls breast (pectus}. This is divided into several portions: 

 the anterior part placed in the middle, limited posteriorly by the sockets 

 of the intermediate legs, he calls peristetliium ; close to which, on each 

 side exteriorly, are the scapulae, which sometimes (Cychrus) are soldered 

 to the peristethium. Next to the peristetliium, and behind the sockets 

 of the intermediate legs, follows the large central acetabulum ; close to 

 which, on each side, limited anteriorly by the scapulce, are the para- 

 pleura, or side-pieces, which, in many genera (Cychrus), are divided 

 into two. Behind the acetabulum and parapleura is placed the 

 merieeum, which forms the anterior surface of the sockets of the 

 posterior legs. The breast has frequently, as well as the neck, a 

 central prominent carina (Hydrophilus) ; this is called breast-bone 

 (sternum pectorale). The whole upper surface of the breast is called 



* Ma 3 as. Vol. V., p. 11, No. L578. 

 f Neuc Bcitragc, Book I., p. 11. 



