EXTERNAL ANATOMY OF INSECTS. 4AT5 
shield of Silpha, Cassida, Lampyris, and Blatta: in all 
which cases there was a propriety in the figurative use 
of it, because of the resemblance of the parts so illustrated 
to a shield. But when Fabricius (though he sometimes 
employs the term, as Linné did, merely for illustration, ) 
admitted it into his orismological table, as a term to re- 
present universally the anterior part of the face of insects 
to which the labrum is attached (though in some cases 
he designates the Jabrum itself by this name), it became 
extremely inappropriate ; since in every case, except that 
of the Scarabeide, the part has no pretension to be 
called a shield ;—so that the term is rather calculated to 
mislead than illustrate. This impropriety seems at length 
to havestruck M. Latreille, since in a later essay? he has 
changed the name of this part to Hpistomis, a term signi- 
fying the part above the mouth. But there are reasons, 
exclusive of those hereafter to be produced concerning 
the sense of smell, which seem to me to prove that nasus 
is a preferable term ; not to mention its claim of priority, 
as having been used to signify this part a century ago”. 
When we come to consider the terms for the other parts 
of the head, as lips, jaws, tongue, eyes, temples, cheeks, 
forehead, &c. the concinnity, if I may so speak, and har- 
mony of our technical language; seem to require that the 
part analogous in point of situation to the xose of verte- 
brate animals should bear the same name. And any per- 
son who had never examined an insect before, if asked 
to point out the nose of the animal, would immediately 
* Organisal. Extér. des Ins. 196. 
» In the Transactions of the Royal Society, this part in Anobium 
tessellatum is so called. xxxiii. 159—. 
