CHARACTERS FROM CAUDAL APPENDAGES. 255 
merely ornaments to these elegant creatures, but 
are actually used by them to scare and frighten 
away their enemies. On this curious fact, hitherto 
unrecorded, we shall subsequently enlarge; yet this 
analogy, being established, shows that the crested 
and horned structures are synonymous; and that, 
under one modification or the other, it is as prevalent 
among particular groups of birds, as of quadrupeds. 
On turning to insects, it is no less conspicuous: here 
the horns assume a very decided character; and 
although given to numerous insects, scattered in all 
the families, are more especially developed in the 
gigantic beetles forming the modern group of Dy- 
nastide. In the soft-winged flying orders, especially 
in the Lepidoptera (more analogous to birds than 
is any other ), crests take the place of horns, of which 
the whole tribe of the Nocturde is a striking example. 
When, therefore, in a group of animals, we see that 
horns or crests distinguish the major part, we draw 
their essential character from that circumstance: 
but when, in another group, these appendages are 
only confined so a small portion, we take the 
essential character from the general peculiarity of 
the whole, and discriminate these few which are 
horned as a subordinate assemblage. 
(177.) Another of the most prevalent forms in 
the animal world is that in which the tail, or the 
caudal appendage representing it, is excessively 
developed. In looking, however, to this member, 
we must carefully note the peculiar sort of develope- 
ment it presents ; because, although it may be very 
large in any given number of examples, its form- 
ation, and consequently its offices, will be totally 
