50. 



METAMORPHOSIS, (Gr. meta, beyond, and morphn, form.) Transformation, or change of form 

 or ,shai)e. 



META-THOllAX, (Gr. meta, after; thorax, the chest.) The posterior ring of the thorax of insects. 



METALLIC, (Lat. metallum, metaL) With the peculiar lustre of metal. 



METABOLA, (Gr. mefahole, change.) A group of sub-orders in which the transformation is 



complete. 

 / MOLLUSKS, (Lat. mollis, soft.) A branch of the Animal Kingdom, with soft body, usually pro- 

 tected with a shell. 



MOTHS, Lepidopterous insects with antennae tapering uniformly to a point; usually nocturnal 



MYRIAPODAt (Gr. myrioi, numberless, ten thousand,and podes, feet.) The order of centipedes ; 

 an insect with many legs. 



N 



NAKED, Not clothed with hair or bristles, or scales. 



NATATORIAL, (Lat. nutnre, to swim.) Fitted for swimming. 



NATURAL HISTORY, Description, classification, Ike, of objects in nature. It is sometimes 

 restricted to Zoology, but often includes also Botany and Geology. 



NEMOCERA, (Gr. nema, thread ; keras, horn,) Diptera with long, thread-like, and many- 

 jointed antennae. 



NECTAR, (Gr. necUu-, the drink of the Gods.) The honey or sweetish secretion of plants. 



NEUROPTERA, (Gr. neuron, nerve and pteron, wing.) The lowest or seventh sub-order of in- 

 sects. 



NOTCHED, having notches, nicks, or indentations. 



o 



OBLONG, with greater length than breadth.- 



OCELLI, the plural of ocellus. 



OCELLUS, (Lat. ocellui, diininiative ofotulus, eye.) An eye of some insects, small and simple, 



situated near the compound eyes. 

 OPAQUE. (Lat. opacu*, shaded.) Not allowing.light to pass through. Dark. 

 ORDER, a collection of allied genera, or those somewhat resembling each other. 

 ORTHOPTERA, (Gr. orthos, straight, and pteron, wing.) The sixth sub-order of insects. 

 OVAL, (Lat ovum, egg ) shaped like an egg. Broadly elliptical. 

 OVIPOSITOR, (Lat. o«;((H(, egg, and poiiere.iJostVitm, to place.) The organ by which eggs are 



placed or deposited. 



P 

 PARTIAL TRANSFORMATION, Not three stages in development from the egg to the adult 



form, the larva more or less resembling the imago . 

 PECTINATE, (IjVit. pecten, comb.) With narrowed, close divisions, comb-like. 

 PE1»ICBLLED, (Lat. pe(/Jc«^M, diminutive otpM; foot.) Furnished with a pedical, or short 



stalk. 

 PEDUNCULATE, (Lat. pedunculu>i, diminutive of pe«, foot.) Furnished with a peduncle, stem 



or stalk. 

 PIERCER, the organ at the tip of the abdomen in female insects for piercing or stinging. 

 PLAITS, (Gr. phkcin, to braid.) Folds. 



POISERS, the organs of dintera, in place of hinder wings, called also "balancers." 

 PROBOSCIS, ((irr. pro. before, and bonkein, to feed.) Snout, trunk. Horny tube. 

 PROP LEGS, the fleshy, unarticulate<l legs of Larvae. 



PROTH<)RAX, (Gr. pro, before ; thorax, the chest.) The anterior ring of the thorax of insects. 

 PROTOZOA, Gr.pcoto*. first, lowest, and ZOOM, animal.) A branch— so called— of the Animal 



Kingdom, including nearly structureless animals, as Bacteria, etc. 

 PORRECT, (Lat. pra. before, forward ; rego, I direct.) Extended horizontally or at right angles. 

 PUPA, (Lat. pwp'/, doll, puppet.) The second stage in the development of an insect from the 



egg, that between the larva and imago. 



R 

 RADIATES, (Lat. radinn. ray.) The branch including animals whose parts radiate from the 



longitudinal axis of the body, as polyps which secrete coral. 

 RAMIFY, (Lat. ramus, liranch.) To branch or divide into parts. 

 RAPTORIAL, (Lat. rapto, I plunder.) Fitted for capturing prey. 



