CLASSIFICATION. 03 



CHAPTER X. 



CLASSIFICATION. 



We have found at the bcginnmg of our study of this 

 department, that the insects belong, from certain peculi- 

 arities of their structure, to the Type of Articulates, 

 Class of Insectians, and Order of Hexapods or Insects. 



They arc still farther arranged in seven sub-orders or 

 groups according to three peculiarities of their ci)nfigura- 

 tion, ^. e. : 



1st. The character of their transformations through the 

 successive stages of g^^^^ larva and pupa. 



2d. The formation of the mouth parts in the imago, and 



3d. The character and formation of the wings. This 

 peculiarity has given the name to each sub-order. 



Thus, the first of these three distinguishing peculiari- 

 ties, that of its transformations, refers to the incomplete 

 condition of the insect ; and the second and third, those 

 of tlie mouth part and wings, to the complete or imago 

 condition. 



The names of these seven sub-orders are as follows : 



1. CoLEOPTERA, from (/co^leorl^oleos, a sheath; and 

 « repd v-pterou, sheath-winged, a wing,) including bee- 

 tles. 



2d. Orthoptera, (op/?of-orthos straight and pteron) 

 straight-winged, grasshoppers, locusts, katydids, cock- 

 roaches, &c. 



