348 
1 
CLASS VIII. 
in a thickened point (punctwm ale s. carpus) in the middle of the 
outer margin of the wing. (It is, as may be readily supposed, without 
any intention of indicating an analogy with the bones of the fore- 
arm in vertebrate animals, that these names of radius, cubitus and 
carpus have been selected.) The following veins, or nervures, which 
like the radius and cubitus arise from the base of the wing, he 
names nervi brachiales. These veins form by their branching and 
mutual communication certain cells on the wing (cellule s. areola). 
The outermost vein, which runs from the punctum ale to the apex 
of the wing, is named nervus radialis, because it seems to be a con- 
tinuation of the radius ; between it and the outer margin lies the 
radial cell (cellula radialis). From the eubitus there arises the 
nervus cubitalis, continued in like manner from the punctum ale; 
the space which lies between this vein and the radial vein is named 
that of the cubital cells (cellule cubitales). Finally, there arise from 
the brachial veins nervi recurrentes, or such as form communications 
with each other or with the cubitus, and thus form other cells, the 
humeral cells (cellule humerales*). 
These insects undergo a perfect metamorphosis. The larvee of most 
species are worms without feet ; in some species, however, the larvee 
have six horny feet ; still other larve have membranous feet ; 
the larger number of these feet (from 12 to 16) distinguishes 
them from the caterpillars or larve of butterflies, which in other 
respects they resemble. The food of the larve is various ; the per- 
fect insect feeds especially on the juices of plants, or swallows the 
honey of flowers. Many species also attack other insects, and thus 
appear to live on prey ; this prey, however, does not serve for their 
own nutriment, but for that of the larve ; they are the females 
that bear it to their nest. The hymenoptera on the whole do not 
live longer than a year, from the egg to the last change. Many, as 
the ants, wasps and bees, live socially together in large bodies, and 
form a regulated society. 
The intestinal canal of the hymenoptera begins with an cesopha- 
gus, narrow and ordinarily long, which runs straight through the 
thorax. In the abdominal cavity the cesophagus usually forms 
an oval expansion ; only in some (Crabro, Larra, Trypoxylon) does 
this expansion form a lateral crop. The muscular stomach is little 
Compare the article Aile des Insectes, by AUDOUIN in Dictionn. classique d’ Hist. 
nat. Paris, 1822, 8vo. I. pp. 176—185, and Lncycl. méthodique, Hist. nat. Ins. Tom. xX. 
1825, p. 264, or the article Radiale, by LEPELETIER DE SAINT-FARGEAU and SERVILLE. 
