110 Objects for the Microscope. 



tibia by a crown of spines. The mouth is better displayed 

 in a specimen of Cimex. 



THRIPS. 



This is not now one of the Hemiptera, but belongs to a 

 very small order called Thysanoptera. We find these very 

 minute insects swarming in our flowers, especially in the 

 Carnations and Lilies. They are long, black, active little 

 creatures, looking like small beetles, and turn up their tails 

 in a quick impatient way that reminds us of the Staphy- 

 linus, so fragile that we cannot handle them, except when 

 mounted thus. 



The short antennae we see have eight joints, the terminal 

 joints armed with a seta. There are four wings of equal 

 size deeply fringed with hairs on all sides, and usually un- 

 noticed, because they lie horizontally upon the back, and we 

 seldom see them in use. The tarsi are short, and terminated 

 by a vesicle instead of a claw. The mouth has mandibles 

 and palpi, as well as a rostrum, or beak, with which it 

 pierces the delicate young leaves of our Cucumbers, Melons, 

 Vines, and fruit-trees, causing them to shrivel up. They 

 also feed upon the pollen and pistil of the blossom, and often 

 cause the failure of our fruit, and of the wheat crop, by 

 creeping in between the valves of the green ear. Earwigs 

 avenge us by preying upon them, which florists would do 

 well to remember when they accuse the earwig of the 

 destruction of their Carnations. 



HYMENOPTERA. 

 TENTHREDO, OR SAW-FLY. 



Sometimes we find "the saws "only of this curious fly 

 mounted for the microscope ; but at Baker's, and Smith and 

 Beck's, you will doubtless obtain the whole insect beauti- 

 fully prepared, and it is worth any money in the naturalist's 

 collection, both as an example of the Hymenoptera wing and 

 head, and also for its complicated and wonderful ovipositor. 

 Few of the Hymenoptera can be mounted whole, for the 

 order comprises all our Bees, Wasps, Ants, Saw-flies, 



