90 CLASSIFICATION OP INSECTS. 



We believe the above quotation to contain the only sound principles upon 

 which the Classification of Insects can be attempted. These principles, as 

 Burmeister observes, are deduced from the idea of an entire insect, and he 

 places the orders thus, from the lowest to the highest: — 



Ametabola. — Hemiptera. Orthoptera. Dyctyoloptera. 



Metabola. — Neuroptera. Diptera. Lepidoptera. Hyrnenoptera. Coleoptera. 



Mr. Cooke, however, copying Dallas, places the Diptera, which have two 

 wings and apodal larvae, before the Lepidoptera, which have four wings, attain 

 a great size and strength, and whose larvae are highly organized! 



He then separates the Trichoptera from the Neuroptera, and constitutes them 

 into a distinct order, including the Panorpidae, Raphidiidce, Hemerobidce, 

 Sialidce, and Phryganidce, and places them among the Metabola, while 

 he classes the rest of the family as Neuroptera among the Hemimetabola. 



The second view which Mr. Cooke propounds in his system of classification, 

 is that all predaceous insects should be placed at the top of each order, 

 and the weak and defenceless ones last. In the very outset, however, Mr. 

 Cooke meets with a fatal difficulty. He gets over it, however, in a manner 

 not very ingenuous. Of course if the principle is good as to insects, it must 

 apply to the other classes in animated nature, and Mr. Cooke observes, — 

 "Thus in Mammalia the lion, the tiger, the leopard, etc.; in the birds the 

 eagles and falcons will claim the highest rank; and indeed such is the 

 position, or nearly so, commonly assigned them." 



So thinks Mr. Cooke. Cuvier, however, who must be permitted to have 

 known something of Zoology, placed the bimana, the quadrumana, the che- 

 iroptera, (bats,) and the insectivora, (the moles and shrews, etc.,) all before 

 the carnivora. We apprehend most Zoologists will think Cuvier right. 



In attempting to carry out his views in the arrangement of the orders 

 in the class Insecta, Mr. Cooke is not more successful. The Coleoptera 

 placed by almost every systematist from Aristotle to Dallas, at the head of 

 the class, is of course a favourable starting-point. The Geodephaga, a pre- 

 daceous family, is at the top. But this is evidently not solely on account of 

 their carnivorous nature, but because as a whole they form a type of the 

 order. The Scarabeedice have as great or greater strength. The Lucanidce 

 far exceed them in size, are "harder-bodied," and more strongly defended. 

 The Staphylinidce are a strong, active, predaceous race: and the larva) of 

 the Coccinellidce and others are highly carnivorous, and yet they are all 

 placed far below the Geodephaga. 



In the Lepidoptera Mr. C. thinks the Papilionides properly placed, but 

 he expresses this correct thought at the sacrifice of his own principles; for 

 surely Sphinx, Acherontia, or Cossus are much stronger, harder-bodied, and 

 better defended than the soft and gentle butterfly? while many of the larvae 

 of the Noctuce are well-known cannibals — such a charge, we believe, never 

 having been preferred against a Papilio. The Hyrnenoptera deserve a second 

 place according to Mr. Cooke, because one of the family supplies us with 

 "wax and honey." We take the liberty of urging a similar claim for Bom- 

 byx mori, which supplies us with silk. 



When he arrives at the Diptera Mr. C. becomes indignant, and hurls a 



