280 GLOSSARY 



' In the perfect insect each leg consists of four chief parts, hip, 



thigh, shank and foot, or scientifically, coxa, femur, tibia and 



tarsus. Absent in the majority of Hymenopterous and Dipterous 



larvoe. False legs or sucker-feet are universally present in 



Lepidopterous larvae, and others. 



Lenticular. Doubly convex, resembling a lens ; bean-shaped. 

 Lcpidoptcra. Scale-winged. An order of insects characterised by the 



presence, in a greater or less degree, of minute scales on the wings. 



The mouth consists chiefly of a spiral proboscis. Two groups, 



Butterflies and Moths, together form this order. 

 lethargy. Morbid drowsiness, unnatural slumber. 

 Lichens. The Lichen Family, a distinct class of cellular cryptogamic, 



or flowerless plants. A lichen usually consists of a well-developed 



layer of tissue the thallus bearing reproductive bodies. 



Lichens have a remarkable relation to fungi on the one hand, and 



to algae (the sea-weed family) on the other. 

 Ligneous. Woody, resembling wood. 

 Linear. Like a line. A linear leaf is one that is not only many 



times longer than it is broad, but is of nearly the same width from 



the base to near the tip. 

 Mandibles. First or upper pair of jaws, opposed horizontally beneath 



the upper lip ; vary much in form ; generally strong biting 



organs. 



Mandtbulate. Provided with mandibles, opposed to haustellate. 

 Maxilla;. Second or lower pair of jaws in insects, also opposed to 



each other horizontally and situated below the mandibles, compared 



with which they are much more complicated. Furnished with 



jointed appendages called maxillary palpi or feelers. 

 Maxillary Palpi. See Maxillae. 

 Membrane. A thin layer or skin to cover or wrap up some part of an 



animal. 



Membranous. Possessing the consistence and structure of a membrane. 

 Meso-thorax. The third segment of the body, and second of the 



thoracic segments. It carries the first pair of wings and second 



pair of legs. 



Metamorphoses. Or transformations, changes with regard to form. 

 Mela-thorax. The fourth segment of the body of an insect, and third 



or hinder-most of the three rings forming the true thorax. It bears 



the second pair of wings and third pair of legs. 

 Mimetic. Applied to animals or organs which resemble each other in 



appearance, but not in essential structure ; appearing like an 



imitation. 

 Mishna. Or text, the codification of the traditionary and unwritten 



laws of the Jews, believed to have been commenced in the second 



or third century after Christ. A two-fold commentary by learned 



Rabbins was subsequently appended to it. 

 Moulting. The shedding, or stripping of the skin, or coverings, 



undergone by insects during their development. 

 Mouth-parts. The typical form exists in the biting insects, and consists 



of six pieces, an upper lip or labrum, an under lip or labium, with 



