ON THE GENUS HYMENOTES. 489 



dently, the result of elevating forces, that in this district have 

 left proofs too palpable to be denied. 



Presteigne, Radnorshire. 



Art. III. — On Hymenotes, a Genus of exotic Orthopterous Insects. 

 By J. O. Westwood, Esq., F.L.S. &c. 



The philosophical principle that Nature, ever ready in re- 

 sources, arrives at the same result in various methods, is 

 nowhere so capable of demonstration as in the insect tribes, 

 where, owing to their immense numbers, far exceeding in fact 

 the number of all the rest of the species of the animal king- 

 dom taken together, it must necessarily happen, from the 

 necessarily great modification of form exhibited amongst so 

 many animals, that the great functions of existence must be 

 carried on in different ways. 



The preservation of the creature, one of the great primary 

 objects of all its energies, as well as of its organic structure 

 (necessary for the display of such energies), is not only ef- 

 fected by active operations, but also by those passive means 

 of resistance afforded by the peculiar structure and shape ei- 

 ther of the body or of its different parts. It would carry me 

 into too wide a field to give examples in support of this prin- 

 ciple, which must be strongly perceived by all who take more 

 than a superficial view of the workings and works of the cre- 

 ation. The particular group of insects which is the subject 

 of this paper, exhibits an interesting instance of it which it 

 will be worth while to notice, proving as it does that where 

 one organ, having a particular function necessary for exist- 

 ence, is either atrophied or diminished in extent, another or- 

 gan takes up such function, and thus supplies its place, while 

 at the same time it retains its normal, or as we may say origi- 

 nal function. Ordinarily speaking the back of insects is not 

 generally of a solid texture ; where solidity is given to it the 

 wings are more particularly membranous ; where it is less so- 

 lid the wings, or more strictly speaking, one pair, become 

 thickened, so as to defend the real wings, which from their 

 large size require to be packed up, (of which the common 

 earwig forms a beautiful example), as well as the back of the 

 abdomen. Such is especially the case in beetles, where the 

 wing-covers attain their strongest consistence, and serve unit- 

 edly to form a powerful shield or case, whence the very name 

 of the order, Coleoptera, or wings in a case. In other instan- 



Vol. III.— No. 34. n. s. 3 g 



