CONTENTS. IX 



animals and those of insects. Structure of the mouth in 

 the order Coleoptera. Sense in which the phrase " a per- 

 fect mouth," is used. It consists of seven parts ; their 

 names and uses. Palpi ; their supposed functions. Mouth 

 of the Orthoptera, — of the Hymenoptera. Various pur- 

 poses to wMch the mandibles are applied. Mechanism 

 and use of the tongue in bees. The corolla sometimes 

 pierced to obtain the honey. SimiUes supphed by the 

 butterfly and moth. Mouth of the Lepidoptera, — of 

 the Diptera ; " poor harmless fly," &c. Hemiptera ; 

 meaning of the word " bug," in Shakspeare. Aphaniptera ; 

 " a flea sticking upon Bartolph's nose." Aptera ; " the 

 dozen white louses;" description by Swammerdam. Variety 

 of mechanism exhibited in the varied formation of the 

 several mouths now described . . . page 41 



LETTER V. 



ORDER COLEOPTERA. 



'The shard-borne beetle ;" description of its flight, by Collins, 

 Gray, Hogg, and Shakspeare. Meanings of the word 

 " shards." The Dor — Geotrupes stercorarius. Interest ex- 

 cited by the Scarabceus sacer; its habits. Extracts from 

 Clarke and Denon. Representations of the insect found on 

 unrolUng mummies. Geotrupes vernalis. Difference in the 

 nidus of this beetle, and that of G. stercorarius. Time of 

 the appearance of the latter. It feigns death. Similar 

 procedure in a corn-crake. The Dor infested with para- 

 sites ; plan adopted to get rid of them. Strength of the 

 beetle. Illustrative extracts from Catesby's " Carolina," 

 and Sir Walter Scott's " Peveril of the Peak." Numbers 



