144 AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGY. 



Maxillary palpi, or exterior palpi, articulated moveable filaments 

 near the middle of the dorsal edge of the maxillee ; in some 

 Coleoptera there are two pairs, and are then distinguished into 

 internal and external, the former is biarticulate and incumbent 

 on the back of the maxilla. 



Mcmhers, (artus) the exterior organs of locomotion taken collec- 

 tively, as well as the appendices of the trunk and abdomen. 



Membranaceous, thin, skinny and semitransparent like parch- 

 ment ; of a thin pliable texture. 



Meniscoidal, somewhat globular, with one side concave. 



Mentum, the chin ; the lowest piece of the mouth, supporting the 

 lingula or tongue, and sometimes covering it in front. 



Metamorphosis, an alteration in the appearance of an insect, 

 owing to the development of parts previously concealed, by a 

 sudden vernantia ; the transformation from the imperfect or 

 larva state to the perfect insect ; it is imperfect, semicomplete, 

 or coarctate. 



Metathorax, the posterior portion of the stethidium on the 

 superior surface ; it is separated from the thorax and scutel by 

 sutures, and is particularly obvious in the Hymenoptera. See 

 dorsum. 



Mtniatus, red, like red-lead. 



Modioliform, somewhat globular, truncated at both ends like the 

 nave of a wheel. 



Monodactyle, armed with a moveable nail which closes on the 

 tip ; it differs from chelitte in having but one process. 



Monarsenous, that kind of polygamy in which one male suffices 

 for many females. 



Moniliform, (antennae) beaded like a necklace. See aristate and 

 perfoliate. 



Monogamous, propagating by the union of one male and one 

 female only. 



Monothelious, that kind of polygamy in which a female is fecun- 

 dated by many males. 



Mouth, the anterior and terminal part of the head, containing 

 the trophi. 



Mucronate, terminated in a sharp point. See cusjndate. 



Muricate, armed with sharp rigid points. 



