232 THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



" larva?," these are generally active creatures and eat most 

 voraciously, which seems to be the principal act of this state 

 of their existence. These larvae frequently change their skins 

 as they grow, and at last they assume the next stage of 

 their life, the pupa or chrysalis state, which is one generally 

 of complete inactivity ; many of these larva?, weave themselves 

 a covering of a sort of silk, to defend them while in the 

 pupa state such as the Silkworm, whose covering (coccoon) 

 is the source of all the silk of commerce others merely 

 place themselves in a situation of security. The pupa 

 remains dormant for a certain time, and then becomes the 

 imago or perfect insect (the last state of its existence), such 

 as a Moth, a Butterfly, a Beetle, &c. These are of different 

 sexes, and in due time produce a batch of eggs and then 

 die ; these eggs are often incredible in numbers, amounting 

 to many thousands fortunately but few escape the watchful 

 eyes of other insects and of birds who feed upon them. 



Insects have six jointed legs, a pair of antennae or horns 

 (as they are called) and generally one or two pairs of wings. 

 The head is joined to the body by a constricted neck, the 

 part of the body to which it is joined is called the thorax, 

 and to this is added the posterior part or abdomen; this part 

 is extremely various in form in different insects, in some it 

 is round and full, in others long and extended. The antennae 

 arise from the head, and are generally composed of eleven 

 pieces variously disposed ; these wonderful organs are pos- 

 sessed of great sensibility, and they certainly serve to convey 

 information to the insect, of the nature of one of the special 

 senses ; it was formerly thought to be simply that of touch 

 very much refined, or of smell, but it is now generally con- 

 sidered to be that of hearing, or a modification of it. The 

 forms of the antennae are very various, fig. 17 represents that 

 of the Cockchaffer (Melolonthavulgaris). The legs proceed 

 from the thorax, as do the wings, the abdomen giving rise 

 to none of the extremities ; the feet of insects are all pretty 

 much upon the same model, some being more develope'd 

 than others, they have a pair of hooks or claws for catching 

 and clinging to rough surfaces, and a pair of cushions or 

 pads, covered in some cases with suckers. The foot of the 



