OPINIONS ON MR. NEWMANS SPHINX VESPIFORMIS. Zo I 



that man ever presumed to palm upon liis fellow-creatures." 

 Let me not, however, seek to write down Mr. Newman by 

 the mere force of words, and let him not imagine that I 

 suppose myself capable of doing so ; he is an antagonist 

 against whom a giant's arm were ineffectual ; and but for the 

 sure and certain knowledge that I am right, and that he is 

 wrong, 1 dare not thus provoke him to the combat. 



I enter not into the subject of the first chapter, — it is as 

 dazzling as I believe it fliHacious. I have only to do with the 

 three grand points of the theory, as demonstrated by Mr. 

 Newman, from the class Insecta ; first, that the class Insect a 

 is divisible into seven groups only ; second, that Neuroptera, 

 the supposed central group, is connected with, or related to, 

 each of the other six, which form a circle round it; third, 

 that of every seven the central one forms a type of the rest. 



First. That the number seven prevails in the divisions of 

 the Insecta I must unequivocally deny; and I trust I have 

 only to prove the existence of an eighth class,^ to prove the 

 fallibility of the number seven. For this purpose I select the 

 Trichoptera, Kirby, — subclass P/ivT/ganea, Newman, — and 

 place its characters in contrast with those of the Neuroptera, 

 with which Mr. Newman has thought fit to incorporate it. 



NEUROPTERA. ? TRICHOPTERA. 



Mouth perfect, i. e. witli perfect Moutli imperfect, i. e. without 



mandibles and maxilla". mandibles or maxillae. 



"Wings four, reticulated. Wings four, clothed with hair. 



Prothorax, distinct. Prothorax, replaced by a collar. 



Larva, hexapod, active. Larva sluggish, in a case. 



Pupa, active, voracious. Pupa, quiescent. 



These characters are given in Mr. Newman's own way, and 

 from them it appears that Neuroptera and Trichoptera have 

 no single character in common. Thus an eighth class is 



f I observe Mr. Newman terms the orders of Linn;pus classes, thus following 

 Fabricius; and introduces orders as much more limited groups. This is so clearly 

 an improvement, that all scientific men will at once adopt it. The next divi- 

 sion, subclass, Newm. is Stirps. MacL. and must yield to priority. 



s We are little disposed to criticise the performances of our contributors ; but 

 an obvious misstatement must not be passed over in silence. These characters 

 are those of the genus Libellula Lin., not those of the order Neuroptera. If this 

 error arise from ignorance, Clericus ought to study before pronouncing so autho- 

 ritative an opinion ; if intentional and for the sake of argument, we pity him : 

 in either case, he is wise in so positively declining a controversy. — Ed. 



