CHAPTER III. 

 THE ORDERS OF THE HEXAPODA. 



I\ .1 preceding chapter the distinguishing characters of in 

 have been discussed. \Ye have now to study the manner in which 

 the class Hexapoda is divided into its principal divisions or ord 

 : ;iis subject, there is at the present time much diffen 

 of opinion. Naturalists are not agreed as to the limits of the differ- 

 ent orders of insects. The number recognized in standard works 

 S3 from seven to more than twice that number. 

 Although the question is an exceedingly difficult one, it is an 

 matter to state where the differences of opinion lie. And these 

 differences do not complicate the subject greatly. 



More than a century ago Linnaeus recognized seven ordei 

 These he named Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidopi 



. Hymenoptera, Diptcra, and Aptera. Five of these 



ordi well founded ; and two were not. The Aptera was soon 



an unnatural group. It included various wingless in- 



.iich later entomologists have distributed among the other 



orders. The Linnojan order Hemiptera included all four-winged in- 



ta in which the front wings are half horny and half membranous. 



y confining his attention to the wing cli 



1C fell into error. The order Hemiptera as defined by him in- 

 cluded at K distinct orders; and those members of it with 

 biting mouth-parts were separated a little later by Olivier as the 

 order ()rth Thus by the suppression of the Aptera, and the 

 tion of the Orthoptera. the number of orders remained the same 

 as proposed by Linn;eus. And with these two modifications the 

 Linn.i-aii cl, - en very generally accepted to this clay. 

 The modified Linn tern indicated above is very simple 

 I for this reason many entomologist - arc- loath to propose alter- 

 n it. Hut tli tain places in which this i .tion 

 Aether injects which differ too widely to be classed in the 

 same order. The science- of Kntomology. ho\\ far 

 enough '1 f-T any one to state with any inty 

 in just how man; this is true. 



One of the principal points in which there are differences of 



