ENTOMOLOGY. 117 



the coxa or hip, which is received into an acetahulum 

 or socket, where it is suspended by a ligament. 

 Frequently it is of a globular form, more or less sur- 

 rounded and enclosed by a horny substance ; at other 

 times it forms a truncated cone, and appears attached 

 to the thorax by the greater part of its base. When 

 of the former shape, its motions are free and versa- 

 tile ; when of the latter, they are more restricted. 

 In intimate connection with the coxa, but capable of 

 independent movement, is a small piece named the 

 trochanter. Its form is subject to many changes, but 

 it is most commonly triangular or quadrangular, often 

 prolonged into a lateral point It articulates with 

 the coxa, sometimes by ball -joints entering corre- 

 sponding sockets, or simply by a membrane, the lat- 

 ter being generally the case when the shape is an- 

 nular, as among the Diptera. Its union with the 

 succeeding part of the leg, namely the thigh (femur), 

 is usually much closer. The thigh, in far the greater 

 number of instances, is the largest and most conspic- 

 uous joint of the leg. It is usually thick and robust ; 

 in form cylindrical, or compressed ; straight, or arched ; 

 slender at the base, and incrassated at the middle or 

 apex, &c. Sometimes the anterior thighs are longest 

 and thickest, (Acrocinus longimanus, Nat. Lib. Coleop. 

 pi. 21, fig. 1,) occasionally the middle pair (Onitis}, 

 and in all the saltatorial tribes, and many besides 

 which do not leap, the hinder pair are greatly 

 enlarged, (Haltica, Locusta, Sagra). The thighs 

 are less frequently furnished with foliaceous and 

 other appendages than that part of the leg next to be 



