178 Mr. W. S. MacLeay on the Anatomy of the 



little variation, not only gives a complete philosophical and harmonious 

 view of the construction of the thorax, but reduces the number of yvords 

 used to express 52 pieces to 11 ; surely a most important consideration 

 when it is borne in mind how great an obstacle to the study of natural his- 

 tory is a cumbersome load of anatomical words. I shall always endea- 

 vour to proceed on similar principles of symmetry and condensation in 

 ray future papers where I may have to investigate the anatomy of the 

 head, wings, abdomen, and legs. In the mean time, if on no other 

 ground than that of priority, I indulge strong hopes that Mr. Kiiby will, 

 in a new edition of his useful Introduction, see the advantage of returning 

 to M. Audouin's nomenclature of the parts of the thorax, while Mr. West- 

 wood, or some other of our acute entomologists, will throw light on the 

 structure of our British Insects by subjecting the different genera to the 

 above kind of comparative scrutiny. No greater service can be rendered 

 to entomology, the field of discovery here proposed being as untrodden as 

 it is vast. 



GENERAL EXPLANATION OF PLATES V. & VI. 



PROTHORAX. 



MESOTHORAX, 



METATHORAX. 



A&B 



\ Praescutum 

 ' Scutum 



C Scutellum (alias) 



Collare 

 D Postscutellum 



internal 



A Epimeron 

 r Episternum 



U Sternum 



E Praescutum internal H Praescutum 

 F Scutum I Scutum 



n Parapsides (vestiges 



of the) 

 G Scutellum K Scutellum 



O Postscutellum inter- 

 nal 

 R Epimeron 

 S Episternum 

 T Parapteron 

 Q Sternum 

 a Squamula, Lat. 

 e Clavicula, CJiab. 



Y Stigma 



/3 Socketofupper wing 



V Middle leg 



Z Autefurca, Kirb. Y Medifurca, Kirb. 



L Postscutellum 



M Epimeron 



N Episternum 



O Parapteron 



P Sternum 



Socket of under wing 



H Funiculus, Kirb. 



TT Stig\na 



fi Trochlea, Kirb. 



9 Articulation of abdomen 



or Sockets of posterior thighs 



V Posterior leg 



W Postfurca, Kirb. 



X Part of abdomen 



