INTRODUCTION. 1 1 



For convenience of reference, and still further to lessen the chance 

 of confusion, the name of the describer of a species is generally 

 appended to the specific name, whenever the latter is quoted. Some 

 have argued that if a later writer moves a species into a different 

 genus from that in which the original describer placed it, the name 

 of the more recent author should be appended to it, instead of 

 that of the original describer; but this practice is most mischievous 

 and misleading, and has not even a shade of practical utility to 

 recommend it. 



Having thus explained the general principles of Zoological 

 Nomenclature, Ave will now proceed to discuss the Classification of 

 Insects. Linn6 in the two last editions of his Si/stema Naturce} 

 published in 1758 and 1767, divided all the insects known to him 

 into seven great Orders, which he called Colcoptera, Hemiptera, 

 Lepidoptera, Neuroptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Apttera. These 

 Orders were established on the number and consistency of the 

 wings, and are all recognised nearly in the Linnean sense at the 

 present day, with the exception of Hemiptera and Aptera. The 

 Aptera included the Classes Arachnida, Crustacea, and Myriopoda ; 

 the Lice, Fleas, and Springtails ; and Termes, the winged forms of 

 which were unknown to Linn6. The Linnean Order Hemiptera 

 was composed of at least two distinct Orders ; and Olivier sub- 

 sequently divided it into Hemiptera and Orthop)tera. Soon after 

 the time of Linn6, his eminent pupil Fabricius prepared a new 

 classification of insects founded on the structure of the mouth, and 

 he re-named all the Linnean Orders, even when they coincided with 

 his own. His nomenclature speedily fell into disuse, and the 

 only Orders which he proposed which it is necessary to remember, 

 are the Odonata (Dragon-flies) and Ryngoia (Hemiptera). 



Several modifications were proposed by Leach, Latreille, and 

 other authors ; and the arrangement of Orders adopted by West- 

 wood, in his Introduction to the Modern Classification of Insects, 

 published in 1839, but still a classical work, is as follows : — 



Orders. Hepresentatives. 



Coleoptera. Beetles. 



Euplexoptera. Earwigs. 



Orthoi)tera. Crickets, etc. 



Thysanoptera. " Black Fly." 



1 These are called the 10th and 12th editions; liut the so-called 11th 

 edition, published in 1760, is a mere reprint of the 1 0th. 



