±")0 NEWMAN ON THE SEPTENARY SYSTEM. 



thorax of the Ephemerina, among the Neuroptera, is often 

 indistinct, or formed like a collar. 2dly. That Hymenoptera 

 may be found which masticate with their mandibles. 3dly. 

 That the Cimicidw, Cercopidw, and myriads of similar insects, 

 which take their food by suction, have an immense, often a 

 preposterous, prothorax. These, therefore, I imagine are 

 insufficient grounds for the separation in question. But 

 allowing the separation to take place, I still find Mr. Kirby 

 placing the Phryyanites exactly where the Septenary System 

 requires their presence. At p,422 of the same volume, in some 

 observation on analogy, the new division Trichoptera is entirely 

 omitted, being again merged in the Neuroptera. This is a proof 

 of the exact value at which it was estimated by its author. 



Another class, or division, of equal value with the Lepidop- 

 tera, Diptera, See. occurs in Mr. Kirby's arrangement. I 

 allude to the Aptera, a group in which he includes Thysamira, 

 Anoplura, Arachnida, and Myriapoda. I rather regret having 

 to mention this division at all, for reasons which it would ap- 

 pear impertinent in me to avow. Let it be sufficient that I 

 state my adherence to the arrangement of these groups, which 

 has been long before the public in " The Grammar of Ento- 

 mology," and therefore, that as constituting one of the classes 

 (or orders, as they are termed by Mr. Kirby) of true insects, 

 I consider the Aptera out of place. The primary divisions of 

 insects are thus reduced to seven. 



Let us now suppose seven individuals before us, instead of 

 seven groups of individuals, and let us express them by the 

 numerals I. II. III. IV. V. VI. and VII. Some learned 

 man writes a book and argues very elaborately that the insect 

 VII. is constructed so exactly similarly to the insect I., and the 

 insect III., that it must, without doubt, be placed between 

 them. Just as the practical Entomologist is about to adopt the 

 suggestion, another argumentative work is placed in his hand, 

 and now he finds the subject may be viewed in another light. 

 The first writer was right as far as he went, but he had not 

 looked in the insect's mouth ; " and here," says the second, " is 

 the sole secret of arrangement." The second writer proves, in 

 fine, that the insect VII. comes between the insects III. and 

 V. An angry discussion takes place, which terminates in the 

 second writer's gaining the day, and promulgating his opinion. 

 Now a third enters the field of controversy ; he boldly asserts 



