38 ELEMENTS OF ENTOMOLOGY. 



reason^, that this buzziiio; soiuul is observable in a vast number of in- 

 sects which have no ]>oisers or balancers, such as wasps and bees. The 

 two penera Asilus and Bombi/lius have no scale, and yet the noise perr 

 ceptiblc in their flight is louder than in most of those which have both 

 scale and poisers, as in the Musca. Nor does this noise issue from the 

 poiscr, either by striking on the scale or by any other means, since it 

 is known that if the. poisers, or both poisers and scales, be cut off, the 

 same sound continues to be heard from the mutilated insects as befure. 

 There are many terms at present in use, to discriminate with greater 

 precision the parts I have here described, and which should be under- 

 stood by the student in entomology. I have thought it therefore best 

 lo insert them in alphabetical order at the end of the work. 



THE CEC0X03IY OF INSECTS. 



Most animals retain during life the form which they receive at their 

 birth. Insects are distinguished from these by the wonderful changes 

 they undergo. The existence of an insect partakes of two, three, or 

 four distinct states; and in each of these diflers most essentially in ap-^ 

 pcarancp, organization, and manners of living. 



The changes through which the greater number of insects pass are 

 from the ligg to the Larva, from the Larva to the Pupa, and from the 

 Pupa to the Imago or perfect state. Exceptions occur to this : for 

 some insects are viviparous; but the number of these is not consi- 

 deral le. 



Of the EGG state. The egg, containing the insect in its smallest size, 

 is exjellcd from the ovary as in other oviparous animals. They are con- 

 tained and arranged in the body of the insect, in vessels which vary in 

 nmnberand ligure in diftcrcnt species. The same variety is found in 

 the eg^s: some are round, others oval, and some cylindrical. The 

 shells of some are hard and smooth, while others are soft and flexible. 



The eggs of insects are of various colours : some are fomid ot al- 

 most every shade of yellow, green, and brown, a few are red, and 

 others bla:k. Green and greenish are not unusual, and they are some- 

 times speckled with darker colours, like those of birds. Some are 

 smooth, and others beset in a pleasing manner with raised dots. 



Insects are instructed by nature to deposit their eggs in situations 

 where their yoimg ones will And the nourishment most convenient fur 

 them. Some deposit their eggs in the oak-leaf, producing there the 

 red gall; odiers choose the leaf of the poplar, which swells into a red 

 bladder : and to a similar cause may be assigned the knob which is often 

 seen outhc leaf of the willo\\-. The Laslocawpa }icustria glues its eggs 



