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It will be observed that all the family names of insects end in idee. 

 This is a Greek termination, meaning like or similar ^ and implies that 

 all the species in any such group have a family resemblance to those of 

 the leading genus to which it is affixed — thus : Cicindelidce means Ci- 

 cindela — liJce insects. In pronouncing these words the accent is placed 

 upon the syllable preceding this termination, thus : Cicindel-idce^ Carab- 

 idcBy etc. 



It is often the case that families, especially those which contain many 

 species, admit of division into a number of natural groups of a higher 

 rank than genera, which are designated as sub-families, and distin- 

 guished by the termination ides. Thus the family Carabidse is divided 

 into a number of sub-families, such as the Brachinides, the ScaritideSj 

 etc. 



DIVISION OF INSECTS INTO ORDEKS. 



The class of insects is divided into a number of primary groups called 

 orders. Between these larger divisions are certain smaller ones, which 

 serve as connecting links between them, and which some authors have 

 merged in one or the other of the adjoining larger groups, whilst others 

 have considered them of sufficient importance to be raised to the same 

 rank with the larger ones. From this it has resulted that the number 

 of orders into which the class of insects has been divided has varied, 

 even in the works of standard authors, from seven to twelve ; and the 

 number will be still increased if we regard as distinct orders certain 

 apterous forms such as the lice {Pediculi,) and the springtails {Thy- 

 sanura.) 



But as in this elementary treatise it is the intention to simplify the 

 classification of insects as much as possible, we have adopted the smaller 

 number of orders, with the single exception of recognizing the division 

 of the Hemiptera into Homoptera and Heteroptera as of ordinal value. 



The orders of insects are founded primarily upon the number and 

 structure of the wings. This mode of division was first suggested by 

 Aristotle, who gave the names which they now bear to two of the orders, 

 namely, the Coleoptera and the Diptera. It was afterwards almost per. 

 fected by Linnaeus, but has been somewhat modified by more recent 

 authors. 



The orders, at the present time, are usually arranged in two sections, 

 with four orders in each, based upon the form and structure of the 

 mouth. 



