CHAPTER III. 



CLASSIFICATION. 



That the Dragonflies are insects is, of course, at once 

 apparent — they are segmented, and the body is distincth" 

 divided into head, thorax, and abdomen, the thorax bear- 

 ing in the adult form four wings and six legs. But con- 

 siderable difficult}' arises when the attempt is made to 

 find them a home in one of the natural orders into 

 which insects are usuall\- divided. No doubt most ento- 

 mologists take up the position that they constitute a sub- 

 division of the rather nondescript order Neiiroptcra^, 

 though many incline to the view that they are of 

 ordinate rank in themselves, while a few would attach 

 them to the OrtJioptcra, which order the\' approach in 

 several respects. 



For exponents of the last view we must usuall}- look 

 to Continental writers : it does not find favour with 

 British naturalists, though in the mouth structure and in 

 their incomplete metamorphosis — that is, the want of a 

 clear line of demarcation between the larval and ])upal 

 stage.s — Dragonflies certainl\- bear a resemblance to the 

 OrtJioptcTa. Should it be necessary, however, to bring 



* Greek vivpov =^7^ nerve; ■iTTip6v =^ \\\w^. 



