June, '07] 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 



2 43 



The Classification of Insects. 



By C. W. WOODWORTH. 



The numbers of orders of insects recognized by recent au- 

 thors has varied from seven to thirty-four. The most diverse 

 views are also held as to the relationships between these groups. 

 So great are the differences that one would be led to believe, 

 after a superficial review of the situation, that little or no pro- 

 gress has been made towards a generally acceptable classifica- 

 tion. A more careful study will show, however, that the differ- 

 ences of opinion, though often radical, still lie in rather nar- 

 row limits. There are, for instance, only thirty-nine groups 

 that have ever been raised to the rank of orders, or which have 

 ever shifted their position from one order to another. The 

 author's view of the relation of these groups to each other and 

 their grouping into orders is shown in the following diagram, 

 in which these thirty-nine groups are designated by names of 

 typical genera. 



The Aptera are 

 generally conceded 

 to occupy the place 

 given to them in 

 this diagram, and 

 are always placed 

 together, though 

 some authors make 

 six orders ; some 

 three, uniting them 

 in pairs ; others 

 two, uniting the 

 four lower groups; 

 and still others 

 only one, or a few 

 uniting the whole 

 series with the 

 Neuroptera. 



Campodca seems 

 a natural transition 

 from Scolopcii- 



g nuf s 



