PARTS OF ANIMALS, IV. vi. 



have numerous feet ; this is in order to make their («) insects. 

 motion quicker, and to counteract their natural slow- 

 ness and coldness. Those which are most subject to 

 coldness owing to their length (e.g. the Centipedes) 

 have the greatest number of feet. Furthermore, 

 these creatures have several sources of control ; and 

 on that account they have the " insections " in their 

 bodies, and the numerous feet which are placed in 

 precise correspondence. 



Those that have fewer feet are winged by way of 

 compensation. Some of these flying insects live a 

 wandering life and have to go abroad in search of 

 food ; so they have a light body and four wings, two 

 on either side ; such are the bees and the kindred 

 tribes. The small ones have only two wings all told 

 — like the flies. Those that are heavy and sedentary 

 in their habits have the larger number of wings like 

 the bees, but they have shards round their wings 

 (e.g. the Melolonthae" and similar insects) to preserve 

 them in their proper condition ; for, as these creatures 

 are sedentary, their Avings are more liable to be 

 destroyed than those of the nimbler insects ; and 

 that is why there is this protection round them. 

 An insect's wing is not divided, and it has no shaft. 

 In fact, it is not a wing at all, but a membrane of skin, 

 which being dry detaches itself of necessity from the 

 creature's body as the fleshy part cools off. 



I have already stated some reasons Λvhy these 

 creatures have " insected " bodies : there is another, 

 viz. it is so that they may curl up and thus escape 

 injury and remain safe. It is the long ones that roll 

 themselves up, and this would be impossible for them 

 if they were not insected. Those that do not roll up 



« Perhaps cockchafers (Ogle). 



343 



