334 



MUSEUM OF 'ANIMATED NATURE. 



[Insects. 



cops««, and is, during the time of tiarvest, a pest to 

 those who walk in the fields, or amonf; the fra^raiif 

 hay. It insinuates itself into the skin, and occasions, 

 as Latreille says, "des dcmangeaisons aussi iiisup- 

 portables que celles produites par la gale." It ap- 

 pears to be capricious in its taste, attacking some 

 petsons in preference to others. 



The Water-mites (Hydmchna) are aquatic, and 

 very common in ponds and ditches, where they 

 walk through the water, and also at the bottom, 

 often in company with a bright scarlet species (Lim- 

 loschares holosericea, I-atr.), which must be dis- 

 tinguished from the Scarlet Satin mite (Trombidium 

 holosericeum), so common on dry banks, or on 

 palines, &c., in the spring. 



The Wafer-mites deposit their eggs upon the 

 bodies of water-scorpions (Nepa), and as they in- 

 crease in size Kosel >s inclined to think that they 



derive their means of growth from the body of the 

 insect to which they are attached ; and De Geer 

 remarked that the Nepae, when most infested with 

 these eggs, which are red, became gradually weak- 

 ened as the latter augmented in size. 



At Fig. 332S, the Hydrachna geographica, Latr., 

 is seen in a front and back view, magnified. Of 

 the two under figures, b is the Water Measurer, 

 Hydromef ra sfagnorum ; e, Velia eurrens, both he- 

 mipterous aquatic insects, and very common, espe- 

 cially the former. 



Fig. 3627 represents the wafer- mite (Hydrachna 

 absteigens) and the Nepa cinerea, on which she 

 fixes her eggs : a a, the nepa or water-scorpion in 

 the act of seizing prey; b h, a magnified view of 

 the claws of this insect ; c, a tooth-like process for 

 restraining the motion of the joint: d, the wafer- 

 mite ; «, a magnified view of one of its eggs; /, 



the jrointed hook b wliich it is inserted into the 

 body of the Nepa. 



Another group unde the Trachearea consists of 

 the shepherd-spider, or Harvest-men, and their 

 allies (Phalangidse). 



The common Shepherd-spider (Phalangium cor- 

 nufum and Opilio, Linn., male and female) so re- 

 markable for its long slender legs, is known to all. 

 It abounds at the latter part of summer, and may 

 be seen reposing with the limbs spread out un walls, 

 or other places of security ; it appears indifferent to 

 the loss of these long thin legs, which break, off 

 upon the slightest touch, and retain their irritabHity 

 for several seconds. Fig. 3328 represents the con- 

 mon shepherd-spider : a, with its long limbs formed 

 for rapid locomotion among grass, in contrast with 

 the aquatic water-measurer, Hydrometra sfagno- 

 rum, b. 



CLASS INSECTA.— (INSECTS.) 



Inskcta or true Insects are animals of the Homo- 

 gangliate or articulate sub-kingdom, having the 

 body divided info three portions, whence the title 

 Insecfa (animals cut into), and in Greek Entoma. 

 To this character it may be added that thev are 

 covered in general with a coriaceous or horny 

 integument serving as an external skeleton. They 

 possess when mature three paira of legs. They are 

 capable for the most part of ilight, having two or 

 four wings; they undergo three transformations 

 from the egg to maturity. These characters may 

 not be all or always evident, yet in no instance are 

 they decidedly and truly absent. Departures in 

 degree from a given type, and modifications in the 

 details of structure, are met with in every class, yet 

 the essentials, upon which the claim of the species 

 to any given class is founded, remain inviolate. The 

 structure of the bat for flight, and of the whale for 

 oceanic habits, does not remove these animals from 

 among the mammalia. 



It has been said by a great entomologist, that 

 insects are Nature's favourite productions, in which 

 to manifest her power and skill she has combined 

 all that is either beautiful and graceful, interesting 

 and alluring, or curious and singular, in every other 

 class of her children. To these her valued minia- 

 tures she has given the most delicate touch and 

 highest finish of her pencil. Nor has Nature been 

 lavish only in the apparent ornaments of these 

 privileged tribes. In other respects she has been 

 equally unsparing of her favours. To some she has 

 given horns nearly the counterparts of those of 

 various quadrupeds ; some are covered with bristles ; 

 others with spines ; some are of richest hues, spark- 

 ling like gems, topaz, sapphire, and amethyst, in 

 the rays of the sun ; some gleam in polished ar- 

 mour — 



'■ Like some stem warrior formidably bright. 

 Their steely sides reflect a gleaming light ; " 



others are dull of colour, and of strange form and 

 aspect, resembling withered leaves or bits of stick, 

 and find security in such resemblances. 



To leap, to run, to walk, to bore into the ground, 

 or drive galleries through timber, to fly through 

 the air, to gambol in the water, and dive and swim, 

 are amongst the endowments of insects — some build 

 structures more wonderful than the pyramids, some 

 gleam with phosphorescent radiance — and many 

 are armed with poisoned weapons. They furnish 

 us with silk, wax, honey, lac, cochineal, and gall- 

 nuts. Some hold an important place in the phar- 

 macopoeia, some are eaten by various tribes of man, 

 and multitudes furnish food to the beasts of the 

 earth, the birds of the air; to the reptile tribes; to 

 the fishes ; and to the more powerful of their own 

 class. 



To proceed, however, more closely with our sub- 

 ject. If we place an insect, say the Hornet, Fig. 

 3329, before us, we shall observe, that it is divided 

 as we have said into three distinct regions, the head, 

 (Caput) the thorax, and the abdomen. The head 

 carries the organs of the mouth, the eyes, and the 

 antennae, and incloses the principal nervous gan- 

 glion. 



Referring to Fig. 3329— a is the head ; b, the 

 thorax; c, the abdomen; rf </, the antennae. The 

 eyes are two, and compound, but besides these there 

 are minute simple eyes, called stemmata. The 

 parts of the head, excluding the eyes and antenna?, 

 are respectively termed the clypeus ornasus, the ver- 

 tex, the occiput, the genae or cheeks, the canthus, 

 the gula ; and the seven portions forming the 

 mouth, called Trophi. 



Pig. 3330 shows the head of the Hornet mag- 

 nified—a, the clypeus; b, the vertex; c c, the com- 

 pound eyes ; d, the stemmata ; e, one of the an- 

 tenna; ; /, the mandible. Fig. 3331, the same 

 viewed from beneath ; g, the occiput ; h, the gula. 



In turning our attention to the mouths of insects 

 we must premise by stating that, from the difference 

 existing in the form and uses of the parts composing 

 it, it is either mandibulate, that is, formed for 

 biting, or haustellate, formed for suction. It is 

 to the mandibulate mouth that our description will 

 apply. 



The seven portions termed Trophi, consist of a 

 labrum or upper lip, a labium or under lip, two 

 mandibles or jaws, two maxillae or under jaws, and 

 a tongue. To the maxillae or under jaws are at- 

 tached a pair of feelers called maxillary palpi ; and 

 a similar pair is also attached to the labium or 

 under lip ; these are the labial palpi. Each of 

 these parts enumerated requires furl her notice. The 

 labrum is usually moveable and articulated to the 

 clypeus, terminating the head anteriorly ; it is 

 opposed to the labium, and their joint use appears 

 to be to keep the food in its proper place, while 

 the jaws are at work upon it. The labium is di- 

 vided into three portions : the palpiger, the mentum, 

 and stipes. The labial palpi usually consist of two 

 articulations, exclusive of their basal attachment ; 

 they serve as feelers of the food. The mandibulae 

 and maxillae act horizontally between the labrum 

 and labium. 



The mandibulae are used for seizing and biting; 

 when viewed from above or beneath they generally 

 present a figure more or less approaching to a 

 triangle, but are externally convex, internally con- 

 cave, the concave surface being furnished with 

 serrations or tooth-like processes. As insects with 

 the mandibulae or jaws formed on the principle 

 described vary in their food, so, as in Mammalia, do 

 these upper or rather anterior jaws vary in their 

 details. In theCerambicidae which gnaw vegetable 

 food there is something in the form of the upper jaws 

 analogous to the incisor teeth of Rodents. In Carni- 

 vorous insects, as Cicindela,Carabus, Staphy linus, &c., 

 they remind us of the formidable canines of the tiger, 

 and are often armed with sharp serrations, or spear- 

 like points. In some which feed on hard vegetable 

 matter, the upper jaws are stout, short, and strong, 

 and have a lobe at or near their base, and a broad 

 crushing or grinding surface ; and remind us of the 

 molar teeth of mammalia of the Ruminant or pachy- 

 dermatous orders. In some insects which feed on 

 soft animals, as worms, the mandibles though sharp 

 have no serrations, and this sort of jaw is sometimes 

 tubular, with a minute orifice near the apex ; in 

 this case the insect sucks the juices of its prey 

 through the tube. 



A singular modification is seen in the jaws of the 

 stag beetle, Lucanus Cervus, Fig. 3332 ; they 

 are greatly enlarged and antler-like, and in the 

 opinion of Mr. Waterhouse are used for piercing 

 and lacerating leaves and twigs, thus causing a flow 

 of sap, upon which the beetle feeds. 



With respect to the maxillic, or under jaws which 

 are placed beneath the mandibles and move nearly 

 paralled to them, we may observe that, exclusive of 

 the maxillary palpus, each maxilla, besides its true 

 and effective part or lobus inferior, has an appendage, 

 sometimes rudimentary, sometimes wanting, but 

 often composed of two or three joints, and resem- 

 bling an additional palpus. The maxilla appear to 

 assist in turning the food about during the operation 

 of the mandibles. The basal joint of the maxilla 

 on which it moves is called the Cardo or hinge. 



The tongue or lingua is situated within the 

 labium or lower lip, and sometimes emerges from 

 it. In many cases it constitutes an organ for the 

 collecting of food, which it transmits to the gullet ; 

 in these instances it is peculiarly modified. 



For a further explanation let us refer to our pic- 

 torial specimens. Fig. 3333 shows the parts of the 

 mouth of a wafer-beetle (Dyticus marginalis) : a, the 

 labrum: b, /, and g, the labium; b, the palpiger; 

 /, the mentum ; g, the stipes ; h h, the mandibulae ; 

 I J, the maxillae; j j, maxillary palpi ; k, theju- 

 gulum. Fig. 3334, the palpiger highly magnified : 

 A, the front view ; B, the side view ; c, the lingua ; 

 d d, appendages termed paraglossae ; e, the labial 

 palpi. Fig. 3335 the parts of the mouth of Amphi- 

 malla solstitialis; the letters correspond with those 

 on the preceding. 



Fig. 3336 represents the various form presented 

 by the labrum in insects ; that of the central de- 

 lineation is the most common. 



Fig. 3337 represents the labium and maxillae of 

 the Hornet. Fig. 3338 the labium of Ceranibyx 

 moschatus. Fig. 3339, the maxilla of the same 

 insect. Fig. 3340, the labium and maxillae of a 

 locust. Fig. 3341, the labium of another species of 

 locust. In these the same letters refer to the same 

 parts ; b, palpiger ; c, lingua ; d, paraglossae ; e, 

 labial palpi ;/, mentum ; j, cardo of maxilla; k, 

 stipes of maxilla; /, palpiler; m, lacinia, or upper 

 lobe of maxilla; n, galea, or true maxillary portion; 

 o, maxillary palpi. 



Fig. 33^2 represents a species of Beetle, and the 

 parts of the head and mouth. A, Beetle : a, the 

 thorax; h, that portion of the thorax called the 

 scutellum ; c, elytra or wing cases : B, the head, 

 posterior view — a, the eyes ; b, antennae ; c, 

 maxillary palpi; d, clypeus; h and*;, labium;/, 

 labial palpi ; i, n, m, I, maxilla) and parts : C, the 

 same head viewed anteriorly : D, labium : E, F, 

 mandibles of coleoptera : G, maxilla : a, maxillary 

 palpus; b, lobus superior ; c, true maxillary blade ; 

 d, cardo : H. c, the tongue ; b, labial palpi ; a, la- 

 bium : I. a, labrum ; b, mandibles of a carnivorous 

 beetle : K, L, labrum. 



Fig. 3343 represents a carnivorous beetle, the 

 Carabus violaceus ; and Fig. 3344 — A, the head of 

 another carnivorous species, Tefflus Megeilei, mag- 

 nified — a, maxillary palpus ; b, labial palpus : B, • 

 maxillary palpus of Carabus violaceus. 



Fig. 3345 shows the maxillae of various insects, 

 composed each of the cardo, or basal hinge-joint, to 

 which succeeds the stipes or stako, and then the 

 blade or lacinia, or lobus inferior. Besides these 

 parts is the palpifer or base upon which the 

 maxillary palpus is placed, as well as the lobus 

 superior or galea. 



Fig. 3346, a predaceous beetle, Leistus fulvibarbus, • 

 a, the trident-sliape tongue highly magnified. 



Fig. 3347 shows a few of the strange variations in 

 form to which the antenna? among the beetle tribes 

 are subject— «, the scapus or bajsal joint ; the fol- 

 lowing joints, 6, are termed funiculai's ; the terminal 

 joints often form what is termed the clava, c. 



Such then is the structure of the true mandibulate 

 mouth, in which the organs are formed for the dis- - 

 posal of solid food. We may now turn to the 

 Haustellata, in which the mouth is formed for suck- 

 ing up fluids, the nectar of flowers, the juices of 

 plants, and the blood of animals. 



Now however different the mouths of the Haus- 

 tellata may be from the mouths of the Mandibulata, 

 let it be remembered that the dift'erence is one of 

 modification only. The parts are the same, but 

 their form, their modes of application, and their 



