BULLETIN 67, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



COLLEMBOLA. 



These tiny wingless insects are known to every collector as "spring- 

 tails," on account of their agility in leaping (fig. 4). Their body is 

 divided into two parts — the head, and a larger posterior part bearing 

 the legs, and beneath near the tip is a forked spring. This spring, 

 or fnrcula, is held in a catch near the base of the 

 venter, and when let loose sends the insect through 

 the air to a comparatively great distance. Nearly all 

 of them occur in damp situations. As with the Thys- 

 anura, they pass through no metamorphosis, and many 

 of them are covered with scales. There are a great 

 many species of these tiny forms, and they have been 

 collected by only a few entomologists. Most of them 

 should be mounted upon slides. Some, however, may 

 be kept in small vials of alcohol, with a little glycerin. 

 Spring-tails may be collected by the use of a tooth- 

 pick and a vial of glycerin. Touch the toothpick to 

 the glycerin and then bring it close to the insect, which, 

 upon touching the liquid, will become attached, and 

 then may be washed off in a vial of alcohol. Sometimes a small 

 forceps with a drop of liquid between its nearly closed tips is useful 

 in picking up these agile 



creatures. Many of them VY /^^^^s==J\^l/ 

 will be found when sifting \J^ ^^^^^^^^^ 

 fallen leaves and moss. 



PLATYPTERA. 



This order includes small, 

 soft - bodied insects, often 

 wingless. The mouth-parts 

 are formed for biting, al- 

 though rarely very strong. 

 They are never aquatic in any 

 stage, and the young have a 

 great resemblance to the 

 adults. There are three prin- 

 cipal suborders, as follows: 



Isoptera. — To this suborder belong the termites or white ants (Ter- 

 mitid») (fig. 5) and a few other allied insects. They are social, living 

 underground in large colonies consisting of several forms of individu- 

 als. The queen is the mother of the colony, and after starting a nest 

 she never leaves it. The workers, or neuters, are most numerous 

 and perform all the work. The soldiers are large-headed forms which 



Fig. 5.— A white ant, Termes flavipes: a, Worker, 

 6, male; c, e,f, stages of female; d, soldier. 



