iv. 5 — iv. 6. 107 



is deposited from the air.'^^ So also do the Ephemera found 

 about the Black Sea."^ But while these latter only live for a 

 single day, the Cicadae subsist on such food for several days, 

 though still not many. 



We have now done with the internal parts of animals, and must 

 return to the consideration of such external parts as have not 

 yet been described. It will be better to begin with the animals 

 we have just been describing, that is with the bloodless animals, 

 so that we may not be hampered with them hereafter, but may 

 be free to deal leisurely with the more perfect kinds of animals, 

 those namely that have blood. 



(Ch. 6.) We will begin with Insects.^ These animals, though 

 they consist of but few parts, are yet not without diversities when 

 compared with each other. They are all many-footed ; the object 

 of this being to compensate their natural slowness and frigidity, 

 and give greater activity to their motions. Accordingly we find 

 that those which, as the^ Juli, have long bodies, and are there- 

 fore the most liable to refrigeration, have also the greatest number 

 of feet. Again in all insects the body is made up of segments — 

 the reason for this being that in these animals there is no one 

 supreme and sovereign part^ but several — and the number of 

 feet corresponds to the number of segments. Should the feet 

 fall short of this, their deficiency is supplied by the presence of 

 feathers. Of such feathered insects some live a wandering life 

 and are forced to make long expeditions in search of food. 

 These have a body of light weight, and four feathers, two on 

 either sidcj to support it. Such are bees and other insects 

 akin to them. When, however, such insects are of very small 

 bulk, their feathers are reduced to two, as is the case with 

 flies.* Even insects of squarer build and of stationary habits of 

 life yet come to have as many feathers in all as have bees ; for 

 they have shards, which protect the acting feathers from injury. 

 Such are the Melalonthae^ and the like. For their stationary 

 habits expose them to much greater risks than are run by those 

 insects that are more constantly in flight, and on this account 

 they are provided with this protecting shield. The feather of an 

 insect h-as neither barbs nor shaft.^ For, though it is called a 

 feather, it is no feather at all, but merely a skin-like membrane 

 that, owing to its dryness, necessarily becomes detached from the 

 surface of the fleshy body. 

 682b. 



