DISTINCTIONS. 25 



still these differences are considered to be in every 

 case only varieties in the general form just noticed. 

 Every one of these parts has a scientific name ; and 

 throughout the insect there is probably not a point 

 which can be observed by powerful magnifying-glasses 

 which has not a special distinctive name ; but for the 

 purposes at present under consideration we do not 

 need to go into these minute points. 



If we have to write or speak to naturalists of other 

 countries, or if we speak of minute divisions, only 

 seen by scientific means, then we need special scienti- 

 fic words. But for the matters of field work, which 

 we speak of daily, and see with our own unassisted 

 ■eyes, it is much the best way to use words which will 

 be understood at once by all around us. This may 

 ^•enerally be managed, with regard to the insect, by 

 taking the word which would be used for the same 

 part in other animals ; and this course has been in 

 part adopted by our best entomologists. If we speak 

 of the horns, or (with regard to the legs) of the thigh, 

 shank, and foot, ever^^one will know what we mean ; 

 and the only real difficulty in am- branch of the work 

 is to provide a counterpart in English, for the word 

 tliomx. This is the fore part of the body, and the 

 word trunk was formerly used for it ; now, however, this 

 word is used for a portion of the mouth : but we may 

 speak of parts of the thorax as shoulders and breast ; 

 and possibly, where thorax would not be understood, the 

 term " fore-body " might serve. 



For practical use all that we need to have is just 

 such a kind of knowledge of the crop insects as we 

 have of the crops ; for this (that is for field purposes) 

 it is enough for each grower to know, by the kind of 

 injury to the crop, taken together with the appearance 

 of the insect injuring it, what it is that is at work, and 

 thus be able to tell, or ask for, the method of preven- 

 tion of its ravages ; or, if he prefers, by having a book 

 at hand, and simply looking out the crop in the index, 

 and then turning to Peas, or Beet, or whatever it may 



