370 THE LIFE OF AN INSECT. 



must not allow himself to be confused by these 

 terms; they all are but names for modifications of 

 the same part the mouth. When the butterfly 

 plunges its long tube into the flower when the fly 

 intoxicates itself with a drop of syrup, using its 

 proboscis to pump it up and when the flea thrusts 

 its rostrtilum into our flesh, and quaffs our life- 

 blood as though it were nectar, let us not forget 

 the mouth is the organ employed in each of these 

 cases, varied and altered in form though it cer- 

 tainly be. 



In all cases, the various parts of the mouth may 

 be reduced to six, the names of which deserve 

 remembering, and this will be rendered easier by 

 the accompanying diagram, in which they are 

 all separated and lettered, so as to distinguish 

 each part; these six parts consist of four side- 

 pieces, and two other organs, one above, the other 



Diagram of the mouth. a. The Labrttm, or upper lip ; 6. The Mandibles, or upper jaws 

 c. The Maxillce, or lower jaws; d. The Labium, or lower lip. 



below. The name of the upper organ is the upper 

 lip, or in Latin, labrum; that of the opposite 



