6 INSECTS AT HOME. 



that in some insects there only appear to be four legs, hut, 

 in these cases, the apparently missing organs may he dis- 

 covered on careful examination, much reduced in size, hut still 

 present. 



A similar observation may be made with regard to the an- 

 tennae, or, as they are popularly called, ' horns,' or ' feelers.' 

 The word antenna is a Latin one, signifying the yard-arm of a 

 ship, and has been appropriately given to these organs. In 

 most cases the antennae give great character to the aspect Ox 

 an insect. In some of the Beetles, for example, they are slender, 

 and each joint is so lengthened that the antennae are five times 

 as long as the body. In others they are comparatively short, 

 sometimes deeply toothed like combs, sometimes terminated 

 with a round club, sometimes with the ends developed into a 

 beautiful fan-like apparatus, and sometimes looking like a 

 number of coins joined together by a string running through 

 their centre. The knob-tipped antennae of the butterflies are 

 an unfailing characteristic whereby these insects can be dis- 

 tinguished from the moths, with their sharp-tipped antennae ; 

 while in the latter group of insects, the antennae of the male 

 are often wide and feathered, those of the female being mere 

 jointed threads, without any feathering whatever. Many in- 

 sects seem to be altogether without antennas, but, like the 

 undeveloped legs already mentioned, they can be found in 

 their places, though so small as to escape a hasty observation. 



Having now briefly examined the general characteristics of 

 insects, we will take them in detail. 



Among the insects, the Coleoptera, or Beetles, are acknow- 

 ledged to hold the first rank, their development being more 

 perfect than is found in any of the other orders. The name of 

 Coleoptera is composed of two Greek words, signifying sheath- 

 wings, and is given to this order of insects in consequence of 

 their leading peculiarity, which is, that the upper pair of 

 wings is modified into horny or leathery cases, called elytra, 

 useless in flight, but employed in protecting the membranous 

 under pair of wings, which alone are used in flight. In many 

 Beetles the lower pair of wings is not developed, and in a few 

 both pairs are practically wanting, though the practised eye can 

 always detect them in a rudimentary form. The wings and 



