INSECTS. 211 



The feelers or antennae act as organs of 

 touch, and perhaps serve some other useful 

 purpose. 



Insects that live by tearing and chewing their 

 food, have short sharp-edged jaws, while insects 

 that take in food by sucking up blood and the 

 juice of plants, have their jaws much lengthened, 

 so as to be able to lick, suck, and pierce. 



The TJiorax, or middle section, contains the 

 legs, and sometimes a pair of wings in addition. 



The Abdomen, or hind section, possesses no 

 limbs, but digests the food and lays the eggs. 



So you see that the three . principal parts or 

 sections of an insect do their own particular work 

 and are dependent one on the other. 



The Head section sees, feels, and takes in food. 



The Thorax section moves the insect by walk- 

 ing or flying. 



The Abdominal section takes in and digests 

 the food, lays the eggs, and, in some cases, uses 

 a sting as a weapon of defence. 



An insect does not draw in air through one 

 mouth, nor has it lungs. But inside the insect 

 can be seen a great number of the tiniest and 

 most delicate branching tubes that carry air to 

 all parts of the body. The outer air gains 

 admission to these tubes through small apertures 

 or mouths situated in the skin. These little 

 mouths or inlets are placed at regular distances 



