8 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



are usually soft, white, and footless, and generally pass under 

 the name of maggots. In this order we find many parasites, 

 of which the fleas, sheep-tick, bat-ticks, horse-tick, forest-flies, 

 bot-flies, etc., are examples. This order contains some bene- 

 ficial and very many injurious insects. 



III. Lepidoptera (scaly wings). This order includes the 

 butterflies, moths, millers, army worm (figure 11), canker- 

 worms, cut-worms, silk-worms, etc. 



The wings are four in number, usually 

 broad, and covered with minute scales, 

 looking somewhat like beautiful feath- 

 ers under the microscope, but appear- 

 ing like fine dust to the naked eye. 

 The mandibles are nearly abortive, but 

 the maxilla3 are usually very long, slen- 

 der, and hollowed out on the inside, so that when fitted to- 

 gether they form a long hollow tube or proboscis, through 

 which they suck up their liquid food. The proboscis can be 

 rolled up beneath the head when not in use. The larvae 

 mostly feed upon plants, and are generally known as cater- 

 pillars. They are often bright colored, sometimes hairy, and 

 usually have, in addition to three pair of small true legs, two 

 or more pairs of fleshy legs under the abdomen. Most of the 

 insects of this order are injurious to vegetation. 



IV. Coleoptera (shield-wings). Insects of this order are 

 known as beetles, weevils, etc. The front wings are thick- 

 ened and stiff, not used in flight, but serve to protect the 

 hinder wings, which are larger and thin, and can be folded up 

 and tucked away under them. The mandibles and maxilla 

 are both used as jaws for biting and chewing. The larvae 

 have usually three pair of legs, and many are well known as 

 grubs and borers in wood. The apple-tree borer (figure 12), 

 is an example. This great order includes many beneficial 

 carnivorous insects, as well as many that are injurious to 

 vegetation. 



Y. Hemiptera (half-wings). This order embraces those 



FIGURE 11. Southern Army-worm (Leucania) imago; and larva, a, natural 

 size. From Packard's Guide, after Glover. 



