EXTERNAL ANATOMY OF INSECTS. 87 



little conspicuous : the disk is an important and considerable 

 part ; the feeler-bearer, usually a small lobe, something resem- 

 bling a basal joint ; and the blade long and large, frequently 

 with a sharp-pointed incurved apex, and a ciliated internal 

 margin. The maxillary feelers in this class are constant and 

 conspicuous. s They are usually composed of four distinct 

 joints,' 1 and possess great freedom of motion. Geoffroy not 

 unaptly compares the feelers to hands.' The helmet is also 

 present; and in some of the carnivorous beetles is many-jointed, 

 and wears completely the appearance of a true feeler. k Fabri- 

 cius considered it a true feeler in the carnivorous beetles. 

 Latreille, even in his latest work, disapproves of the general ap- 

 plication now made of the term to the same part, however different 

 its form. ' It seems strange that one who theorises so boldly 

 and successfully as Latreille has done, should hesitate in 

 acknowledging the obvious identity of the part in question.™ 

 In the Cicindelltes the feelers are long, four-jointed, and placed 

 on a round compact feeler-bearer, which precisely resembles a 

 fifth joint. The helmet is two-jointed, and longer than the 

 blade, which is incurved and very sharp. In the Carabites, 

 the helmet is usually shorter than the blade. In the Dytis- 

 cites there is no essential difference. In Parnus, the helmet 



tandis que les machoires recoupent, broient ou ^crasent la partie qui se trouve 

 comprise entre leur efforts. — Dumeril. 



s Les palpes paroissent destinies apalper, a tiltonner l'aliment, ale toucher en 

 tous sens, pour reconnaitre ses qualites: aussi les voit-on continuellement en action 

 lorsque l'insecte mange. Dans beaucoup d'especes ils servent evidemment a 

 redresser l'aliment, afin qu'il soient mieux saisi par les mandibules, dont l'office 

 est d'agir comme les dents incisives et laniaires chez les mammiferes. — Dumeril. 



h There is, in all probability, a uniform number of articulations in the feelers 

 of the insects of every class. It is worthy of remark, that every new discovery in 

 natural history tends to harmonize phenomena previously at variance ; and adds 

 to, rather than subtracts from, the symmetry of the whole. 



1 Leur usage paroit etre de servir comme d'espece de mains, pour retenir les 

 matieres que mange l'insecte et qu'il tient a sa bouche. — Geoffroy. 



k La galea prend quelquefois la forme des palpes, ce qui a fait dire que certains 

 Coleopteres, tels que les Cicindela, avaient six palpes a la bouche : dans ce meme 

 genre il est forme de deux articles arrondis et fort allonges ; dans d'autres il n'en 

 aqu'un seul : il est souvent termini par une grosse masse membraneuse, couverts 

 de poils touffus, et quelquefois il est entierement nu ; enfin les Cetonia sont entiere- 

 ment depourvus. — Strmis-Durckheim. 



1 Je ne saurais approuver M. Straus qui n'ayant pas egard it ces modifica- 

 tions, donne au galea une acception trop g6nerale. — Latreille. 



m See Plate V., and trace the helmet («) in Hymenopterous, Coleopterous, 

 ami Orthopterous insects. 



