250 MOTIONS OF INSECTS. 



nidu: and Dujiacict, in warm weather, Hy ofi'froin tlieir 

 station with the utmost ease ; — their wings are un- 

 folded, and they are in the air in an instant, especially 

 •the latter, as I have often found when 1 have attempted 

 to take them. None are more remarkable for this than 

 the Cicindtlae. w hich, however, taking- very short flights, 

 are as ea^^^ily marked down as a partridge, and afford 

 as much amusement to the entomologist, as the latter 

 to the sportsman. — It is to be observed that many in- 

 sects in this order have no wings, and the female glo\r- 

 vvorms no elytra. 



Many persons are not aware that t!\e insects of the 

 next order, the Dcrmaptera, can fly : but earwigs (For- 

 Jicula), their size considered, are furnished with very 

 ample and curious wings, the principal nervures of 

 which are so many radii, diverging from a common 

 point near the anterior margin. Between these are 

 others which, proceeding from the opposite margin, 

 terminate in the middle of the wing^. These organs, 

 when at rest, are more than once folded both trans- 

 versely and longitudinally. 



Wings equally ampl(^, forming the quadrant of a 

 circle, and witli five or six nervures diverging from 

 their base, distinguish the strepsipterous tribe. When 

 unemployed these are folded longitudinally. It is not 

 easy to ascertain the use of their spurious elytra, which 

 are fixed at the base of their anterior legs ; but pos- 

 sibly they may be serviceable in their flight''. 

 • Probably in the next order (Orthoptera), the Teg- 

 mina, or wing-covers — since they are usually of a much 

 thinner substance than elytra — assist them in flying. 

 * Plate X. Fig. 5. * Plate II. lis. 1. 



