2 NATURAL ARRANGEMENT OF INSECTS. 



groups of this immense assemblage, or sub-kingdom of 

 the animal world, that it is impossible to assign to them 

 any other character, as a whole, than that just men- 

 tioned. 



(2.) There are, however, certain prominent pecu- 

 liarities, belonging to annulose animals, which deserve 

 the attention of every reader. The Annulosa contain 

 both the most intelligent and the minutest objects in 

 the animal creation ; for, excepting the Infusoria, there 

 are none smaller ; and among winged insects we find 

 those with the most highly developed instincts. It 

 certainly appears strange, that beings whose form so 

 widely differs from that of man, should neverthe- 

 less make a much nearer approach to his intellec- 

 tual superiority than any of the vertebrate animals. 

 Not one of the latter, in fact, can be compared, in this 

 respect, with the bee or the ant. Insects, again, are re- 

 markable for their tenacity of life. It is a well known 

 fact, that in proportion to the complexity of animal 

 structure, so does its sense of pain increase, and its 

 capability to Support injury diminish. Now as insects, 

 from supplying food to so many others, are more de- 

 fenceless and exposed than vertebrate animals, so do we 

 find that they are particularly tenacious of life ; we con- 

 clude therefore, that their organisation, although perfect 

 in itself, is much less complicated than in animals of a 

 larger size. Being thus exposed to so many casualties, 

 they are gifted with great activity and powers of locomo- 

 tion. They command two of the elements, and some- 

 times a third, for all inhabit the earth as much as the 

 air, and several are likewise aquatic. 



(3.) The typical examples of the Annulosa are pro- 

 vided with two or four wings, and with six feet; but in 

 receding from this perfection, nature proceeds by the 

 most graduated steps. At first, if the wings disappear, 

 we find them compensated for by an additional number 

 of feet, as in spiders and crabs. On tracing the chain 

 further, we see these latter members gradually disappear, 



