THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 4G7 



classes (usually, but erroneously, called orders) now in general 

 use among entomologists; or whether they should constitute 

 a ninth class, of equal value with each of the other eight; or, 

 again, whether they should constitute a still higher and more 

 important group, equal in rank to the whole of the other 

 eight. Dr. Nitzsch, who, without doubt, has studied them more 

 laboriously and philosophically than any other entomologist, 

 considered the Pediculidae to be true Hemiptera (an opinion 

 also expressed by myself in 'Sphinx Vespiformis,' p. 21), 

 and referred the Niraidoe to the Orthoptera. Leach, in his 

 'Zoological Miscellany,' divided insects into two sub-classes: 

 — "Ametobolia, those undergoing no metamorphosis;" and 

 " Metabolia, those undergoing metamorphosis." The first 

 sub-class is divided into two orders: — Thysanura, consisting 

 of the Lepismidse and Poduridae; and Auoplura, equivalent 

 to the Parasita of Latreille. Latreille divides insects into 

 twelve orders, the first of which is Myriapoda (the centipedes) ; 

 the second, Thysanoura; the third, Parasita; the fourth, 

 Siphonaptera (including only the flea) ; the fifth, Coleoptera; 

 and the Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Neuroptera, Hyraenoptera, 

 Lepidoptcra, Rhipiptera (instituted for Stylops only), and 

 Diptera, follow in this succession. In addition, 1 will only 

 mention Dr. Burmeister, v\ho places the Pediculidaj in the 

 class Hemiptera, and institutes a new class or order to 

 receive the Nirmidge, Poduridae, Libellulidae, Ephemeridae, 

 Termitidae, and Psocidae. 



I have always discountenanced guessing at the proper 

 location of the families (or, as I consider them, natural orders) 

 of insects, and had 1 any novel views on this subject 1 believe 

 1 shouid refrain from expressing them ; but seeing that the 

 insect before us so wonderfully supports the conclusion at 

 which Drs. Nitzsch and Burmeister have arrived, after the most 

 elaborate investigation ever bestowed on a family or a tribe of 

 insects, I think it reasonable to accept its teachings, and 

 place Haematomyzus where these two philosophers would 

 certainly have placed it had they been aware of its existence ; 

 for if they placed Haematopinus Suis, the pig's louse, in the 

 Hemiptera, then, a fortiori, Haematomyzus Elephantis, which 

 presents many more points of resemblance to the Cimicidae, 

 must be Hemipterous also. If entomologists make laws, 

 such as drawing a hard and fast line between winged and 



