4 HAUSTELLATA. — LEPIDOPTERA. 



which the disciples of that truly celebrated man affirm are fully 

 adequate to meet all our wants in secula seculorum ! — I might 

 adduce, as powerful arguments, the present overwhelming numbers 

 of species which would be contained in several of his genera, agree- 

 ably to the principles of his followers ; and as illustrations of my po- 

 sition, I might state that of the diurnal Lepidoptera, or Linne's genus 

 Papilio, 2400 species are said to be actually preserved in the imperial 

 cabinet at Vienna :— again, I should speak within compass were I 

 to assert that the genus Carabus would consist of upwards of 1600 

 species,— Curculio of 2000,— Scarab^us 2000,— Staphylinus 1000, 

 Musca 4000,— Phalaina considerably above 5000 ! !— Ichneumon 

 probably as many, or even double the number, as the species of this 

 group are known to attack several insects, besides Lepidoptera, — 

 exclusively of the host of species which would be comprised in the 

 three genera of Chrysomela, Cimex, and Tipula, — thus compre- 

 hending, in about a dozen genera, at least one-fourth of the insects 

 reputed * at present to be preserved in collections, whose habits, 

 structure, and metamorphoses present numerous discrepancies ; — a 

 procedure that nothing short of the most persevering apathy or 

 inflexible prejudice can justify : but I rejoice to say that a more 

 liberal spirit has recently sprung up, and that the opposition to the 

 modern innovations, as the progress of natural science is illiberally 

 styled, is rapidly subsiding, from the numerous important disco- 

 veries of late years, and the insufficiency of the Linnean classifica- 

 tion to meet the wants of the student in his attempts to arrange his 

 materials in conformity therewith. 



The first division of the Lepidoptera, or the 

 DiuRNA of LaU'eille, 

 Correspond with the genus Papilio of Linne^ and are characterized by having 

 the antennae composed of very numerous articulations, approximating and 

 slender at the base, towards the tip gradually incrassated and formed into a 

 club, which is sometimes abruptly truncate, and occasionally somewhat seta- 

 ceous, with the extreme tip hooked: the wings are generally placed erect 

 when the insect is at rest : but in the Hesperidae the hinder wings only are 

 elevated. They all fly by day : their larvae have invariably sixteen legs : the 

 pupa, or chrysalis, is generally naked, frequently angulated, and always 

 attached by its tail. 



* Mr. MacLeay says, that 100,000 species are to be found in our cabinets. — 

 Horoi Entomoloirica:, v. \, p. 469.— Mr. Kirby estimates the number of insects 

 to exceed XQOfiOQ.—Kirhj and Spences Inirod. to Ent. v. i,p. 477. 



