COMMON BRITISH INSECTS. 



among mankind, and, though some may be giants 

 and others dwarfs, the dwarf will never become a 

 giant, nor has the giant ever been a dwarf, and, 

 different as are their sizes, both ceased to grow when 

 they attained the age of manhood. 



The modes of passing through the successive 

 changes of form are exceedingly variable in the 

 different orders of insects, and are always most inte- 

 resting to careful observers. I shall not mention 

 them in this place, but shall give the descriptions of 

 the metamorphoses together with the history of the 

 different species. 



Next in order comes the statement that all true 

 insects have six legs when they have attained the 

 perfect form, or Imago. The reader will see that 

 this definition at once excludes all other Annulata. 

 The Crustacea, for example, have a considerable 

 number of legs, and the Arachnida are eight-legged, 

 while the Myriapoda are, as their name infers, many- 

 legged, and the Annelida have no legs at all. It is 

 true that in some insects there only appear to be four 

 legs, but, in these cases, the apparently missing 

 organs may be discovered on careful examination, 

 much reduced in size, but still present. 



A similar observation may be made with regard 

 to the antennae, or, as they are popularly called, 

 4 horns,' or feelers.' The word antenna is a Latin one, 

 signifying the yard-arm of a ship, and has been 

 appropriately given to these organs. In most cases 

 the antennae give great character to the aspect of an 

 insect. In some of the Beetles, for example, they are 

 slender, and each joint is so lengthened that the 



