406 1NSECTA. 



collar. The number of joints in the tarsi varies. The body is usually elon- 

 gated, and with rather soft or but slightly squamous teguments ; the abdomen 

 is always sessile. Many of these insects are carnivorous in their first state and 

 in their last. 



Some merely experience'a semi-metamorphosis, the rest a complete one; but 

 the larvae always have six hooked feet, which they usually employ in seeking 

 their food. 



I will divide this order into three families, which will successively present 

 to us the following natural affinities: 



1. Carnivorous insects, subject to a semi-metamorphosis, with aquatic larva-. 



2. Carnivorous insects, subject to a complete metamorphosis, with aquatic 

 or terrestrial larva?. 



3. Carnivorous or omnivorous terrestrial insects, subject to a semi-metamor- 

 phosis. 



4. Herbivorous insects, subject to a complete metamorphosis, with aquatic 

 larvie, which construct portable dwellings. 



We will end with those species in which the wings are the least reticulated , 

 and which resemble Phalaena or Tineites, 



FAMILY I. 

 SUBULICORNES*, Lalreille. 



THE antenna? are subulate, and hardly longer than the head; they are com- 

 posed of seven joints at most, the last of which is setaceous. The mandibles 

 and the maxilla? are completely covered by the labrum and labium, or by the 

 anterior and projecting extremity of the head. 



The wings are always reticulated and distant, sometimes laid horizontally 

 and sometimes placed perpendicularly ; the inferior are as large as the superior, 

 or sometimes very small and even wanting. The ordinary eyes are very large 

 and prominent in all of them ; and they all have two or three ocelli situated 

 between the former. The two first periods of their life are passed in the 

 bosom of the waters, where they prey on living animals. 



The larva? and pupa?, which approximate in form to the perfect insect, 

 respire by means of peculiar organs situated on the sides or extremity of the 

 abdomen. They issue from the water to undergo their ultimate metamor- 

 phosis. 



In some the mandibles and maxilla? are corneous, very strong, and covered 

 by the two lips ; the tarsi are triarticulated ; the wings are equal, and the pos- 

 terior extremity of the abdomen is simply terminated by hooks or laminiform 

 or foliaceous appendages. They form the genus 



Awl-shaped horns. 



