384 



INTRODUCTION TO 



The larvae and 2^iqj(d are active and voracious, and are 

 much hke the perfect insect, excepting that the larvas are 

 wingless and the pup?e have " short rudimental wings and 

 wing-covers which at the first period of this state are but 

 slightly to be perceived." — (J. 0. W.) 



The Grasshopper is a good example of this Order. The 

 Mole Cricket, figured above, is sometimes very injurious to 

 plant-life by feeding on the roots, and is remarkable for the 

 size and strength of its fore legs, but its upper wings are not 

 characteristic of the Orthoptera. 



4. THYSANOPTEEA (Haliday).— Thrips. 



1 — 4, Corn Thrips (female) at rest, and Hying; 5 — 8, Potato Thrips, larva, 

 and perfect insect flying ; all nat. size and magnified. 



The insects of this Order are often very minute, sometimes 

 only about the third of a line in length. They have four 

 wings which are nearhj alike and usually long, narrow and 

 with long "fringes " all round, laid flat along the back when 

 at rest and somewhat curved outwards. The under side of 

 the head is prolonged into a beak shape, with the parts of the 

 mouth joined into a kind of sucker-like sheath, " out of whose 

 free end the bristle-formed jaws project." 



The larvse and pupns much resemble the perfect insect in 

 shape, and in the first stage are active, in the second are 

 sluggish. The male of the T. physapus (Kirby) is wingless. 



The Corn and Potato Thrips are examples of this Order. 



5. NEUEOPTEPiA (Linn^us). 

 Dragon-flies, May-flies, Stone-flies, &c. 



Wings four, nearly equal in size, membranaceous, with 

 many *^ nerves'' sometimes forming a network. The under 



