50 INTRODUCTION. 



real affinity, as regards the structure of essential organiza- 

 tion; so, on the other hand, are there numerous iiistsmees 

 in which a direct affinity, resulting from similarity of the 

 essential organs, exists between two insects, although their 

 general appearance be quite unlike each other. Of this 

 masked kind of affinity, numberless instances might be pro- 

 duced. Thus an heteromerous insect, related by affinity to 

 Tenebrio and Helops, so closely resembles some of the pre- 

 daceous beetles, that Fabricius called it a Carabus; and Mr. 

 Kirby has described several allied species under the names 

 of Adelium Caraboides, Calosomoides, and Licinoidex. We 

 have further to notice, that as there are more than one 

 species of hive bees dispersed over the globe, so there are 

 other social species of wild honey bees; in like manner 

 there are as many species of wasps and hornets. Each of 

 these groups of species constitutes a certain series; and thus 

 we discover some of the links of a chain extending through- 

 out nature. Now, it is impossible to adopt these views 

 without, at the same time, admitting that all these beautiful 

 and harmonious affinities and analogies must have been be- 

 stowed upon animals with regard to some fixed system. 



" Order is heaven's first law," 



and the naturalist must be blind indeed, who cannot trace, 

 in the beautiful gradations of form, and the various rela- 

 tionships of animals, the marks, slight enough in too many 

 cases, of a universal system, wherein just regard is paid to 

 every peculiarity, and every structure shown in juxtaposition 

 with allied structures, none being excluded. This is termed 

 the natural system ; but in what manner the knowledge of 

 this system is to be attained, whether, as appears generally 

 to be supposed, by a review of mere structural peculiarities, 

 or by selecting the general functions of each species, or by 

 taking into consideration its geographical range whether 



