484 Mr. D. Sharp and Mr. F. Muir on the Comparative 



within the uterus during copulation it was necessary to 

 take the beetles in copula, kill them in a strong killing- 

 bottle and then dissect out the whole female organ Avith 

 the internal sac of the male still in situ. 



We may here emphasise the great importance of extract- 

 ing the structures without injury to the basal parts. It is 

 necessary to give this caution because it too often happens 

 that the dissections of these parts that exist in various 

 collections have been made only with a view to examining 

 the apical portions of the structures. Hence the basal 

 parts are often found to have suffered serious injury. 



As there can be no doubt that the nature of the genitalia 

 is destined to play a prominent part in the systematic 

 study of Entomology, the terms to be used in it should 

 be carefully considered. At present great confusion pre- 

 vails. This is not a matter for surprise when the difficulties 

 that exist are grasped. The male structures form parts 

 and accessories of a genital conduit of which the female 

 genitalia are the continuation and completion. Hence the 

 male parts are really only comprehensible when studied in 

 connection with the female parts ; and this, moreover, when 

 the two are functioning. The parts, in fact, have to be 

 restored to the condition they are in during copula. 



The terms used in this memoir were of necessity selected 

 soon after the commencement of our work, and we consider 

 it advisable here to state how they appear to us at the 

 conclusion of our undertaking. 



Aedeagus. This is a most convenient and useful term for 

 the combination of sclerites in the two adjacent 

 layers of the male tube. The term was, we believe, 

 introduced by M. A. C. M. E. Foudras (Altisides, 

 1859, p. 32). It is probably derived from the Greek 

 xa aidola, signifying the genitals. The use of the 

 Greek word may be seen in the notorious passage of 

 Procopius quoted by Gibbon in footnote 24 of chap, xl 

 of "The Decline and Fall." We doubt whether a 

 better term could be found for this middle complex 

 of male sclerites, and we expect that a word will have 

 to be invented for the corresponding (if not homo- 

 logous) female sclerites. 



Median lobe. This term is not free from serious objec- 

 tions, but it is far superior to that of "penis," which 

 applied to Insecta is totally fallacious. The part in 



