

NATURAL HISTORY OF INSECTS. 



CHAPTER I. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Entomology is that part of Natural History which treats of 

 insects. The term insect is derived from the Latin word in~ 

 *ectum, which signifies cut into, or notched, and it was applied 

 to these animals on account of their notched or indented ap- 

 pearance (Fig. 1, Hornet); they belong to the second division 

 of the Animal Kingdom, called Articulata. 



The vast Realm of Nature is divided into three Kingdoms, 

 the Animal, the Vegetable, and the Mineral; to the first belong 

 all animated beings, such as Beasts, Birds, Insects, etc.; to the 

 second belongs the various kinds of Plants, Mosses, Fungi, etc.; 

 while the different Minerals, Rocks, the Air, Water, etc., belong 

 to the third. 



Fig i. Fig. 2. 



Fig. 3 



The Animal Kingdom is divided into four Sub-Kingdoms, 

 which are as follows: 



I. BACKBONE ANIMALS (Vertebrata), such as Beasts, Birds, 

 Reptiles, and Fishes; these all have an internal skeleton, 

 covered with flesh. 



II. JOINTED ANIMALS (Articulata), such as Insects, Spiders, 

 Crabs, etc.; in these the skeleton is external, and is divided 

 into several rings, or segments, by transverse depressed circles 



