44 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DIFFERENT 



adopts in all his works, and which was almost peculiar to himself, 



that he excelled. 

 The following are the definitions of the several Orders established 



by this eminent naturalist. 



Order I. Coleoptera (derived from the Greek words for a sheath and 

 a wing) comprise those insects which have cnistaceous elytra or 

 shells, which shut together and form a longitudinal suture down the 

 back, as in beetles. 



Order II. IIemiptera (from /w//'and a icing). Insects having their upper 

 wings half crustaceous and half membranaceous, not divided l)y a 

 longitudinal suture, but incumbent on each other, as in grasshop- 

 pers, Re- 

 order III. Lepidoptera (from a scale and a zcing). Insects with four 

 wings covered with tine scales in the form of powder or meal, as in 

 the bidtcify and moth. 



Order IV. Neuuoptera (from a nerce and a zcing). In this order the 

 wings are four; membranaceous, transparent, and naked, reticulated 

 with veins or nerves; the tail is without a sting, as in the Libellula 

 or Dragon-fly. 



Order V. IIymekoptera {i'roni a iJiembraTie and a wing). The insects of 

 this order have also four wings, and the tail furnished with a, sting 

 for various purposes, as in uasps, bees, 4"C. 



Order VI. Diptera (from tzco and a zcing). Those insects with two 

 wings only, and poiscrs or balancers, as in the common House-Jh/. 



Order VI. Aptera (from without and a zcing). In this order Liune 

 placed the spider, crab, scorpions, &;c. As these are now universally 

 rejected from insects, and referred to a class named Crustacea, I shall 

 hereafter speak of them when mentioning the system proposed by 

 Dr. Leach. 



. Fabricius distributes all insects into thirteen Classes, the characters 



of which are as follow : 



Class I. Eleutuerata. J««'s bare, free, and bearing feelers. 



Class II. Ulonata. Jaa's covered by an obtuse mouth-piece. 



Class III. Synistata. Jazcs elbowed near the base, and connected to 

 the lower lip. 



Class IV. Piezata. Jaws horny, compressed, and usually elongated. 



Class V. Odonata. Jaws horny, dentated; pa fpi two. 



Class VI. Mitosata. J«u's horny, vaulted ; no palpi. 



Class VII. Unogata. Jazcs horny, unguiculatcd. 



Class VIII. PoLYGNATA. Juws scvcral (usually two), within the lip. 



Class IX. Kleistagnatha. Jaws several outside the lip. 



Class X. E.\ociiNATA. Jaws several, outside the lip, and covered by the 

 palpi. 



Class XI. Glossata. il/ow/A composed of a spiral tongue, situated be- 

 tween two palpi. 



