42() ATTEMPTED DIVISION OF BRITISH INSECTS. 



STiRrs. — Blattina. 



Natural Order. — Blattites, Cockroaches. 



Antennae very long, filiform, tapering, and many-jointed ; head 

 bending beneath the prothorax ; fore-wings semewhat coriaceous, 

 horizontal, one folding over the other, covering the hind-wings, 

 which are folded beneath them ; legs alike in structure ; tarsi 

 five-jointed : nocturnal ; voracious ; omnivorous ; run rapidly ; 

 fly badly ; do not leap. Blatta. 



Situation at present doubtful. 

 Natural Order. — Thripsites, Ticklers. 



Antennas conspicuous, composed of eight joints ; fore- and hind- 

 wings linear, and of equal length ; tarsi two-jointed. Very 

 minute. Inhabit flowers, feeding on the farina. When running 

 on the skin they cause an intolerable itching. Thrips. 



Class V. — Hemiptera. 



Imago, with the parts of the mouth only partially developed; 

 the mandibles are without any horizontal motion, but elongate 

 and slender, and, together with the maxillae and tongue, are 

 inclosed in a sucker, which is composed of the labium prin- 

 cipally, but protected about by the labrum ; this sucker is 

 bent beneath the head and breast, excepting when in use, 

 when it is usually thrust perpendicularly into the rind of 

 vegetables, or skin of animals, to extract the sap or blood, 

 which, in the class, constitute the food ; the feelers are obsolete ; 

 all the wings are fully developed, and in the greater portion 

 serve occasionally as organs of flight ; the flight is, however, 

 weak, and of short duration. 



Stirps. — Cimicina. 

 Natural Order. — Cimicites, Bugs. 



Antennae elongate, conspicuous, four- or five-jointed; fore-wings 

 with the basal portion coriaceous, the apical portions which cross 

 each other membranaceous ; the legs are of uniform structure, 

 not formed for leaping ; the tarsi are three-jointed : terrestrial ; 

 run fast ; fly rapidly, but not far at a time ; feed generally on the 

 sap of vegetables, sometimes on other insects, and occasionally, 



