OF MANDIBULATA. 435 



ihoptera, and lastly, in the Dictionnaire (THistoire Natu- 

 relle, seems inclined to consider Neuropterous, must with- 

 out doubt have been as difficult a subject for naturalists 

 to place as the Panorpa hyemalis. The theory of oscu- 

 lant groups, however, removes this difficulty ; and in reck- 

 oning Mantispa to be nearly osculant between the orders 

 of Neuroptera and Orthoptera, we have the satisfaction of 

 adopting as correct all the above-mentioned opinions, 

 which to appearance are so discordant. The construction 

 indeed of the mouth, thorax and feet of a Mantispa differs 

 not essentially from that of Maiitis ; while the transparent, 

 reticulated and deflexed wings are truly those of a Neu- 

 ropterous insect. 



As we have now ascertained that an insect exists, leading 

 from Panorpa to Truxalis or Proscopia, and another from 

 Raplddia to Mantis, it follows that, accurately speaking, 

 the orders must touch one another at some point, among 

 the Neuroptera, between Raphidia and Bittacus, 



Orthoptera. 



If there was reason for hesitation with respect to the 

 types of the ISleuroptera, there is not the least with re- 

 spect to the principal forms of Orthoptera. Every ento- 

 mologist seems to have been sensible of these forms, and 

 often from their dissimilarity has been disposed, to con- 

 sider what are only tribes to be so many orders. Indeed 

 no forms that are within the limits of an order can be more 

 distinct from each other than those of a Phasma, Truxalis^ 

 Locusta, Acheta, Blatta, and Forficula ; and we accord- 

 ingly find that they have been considered as the types of 

 so many groups by Linnaeus. The affinity of Blatta to 

 Mantis is acknowledged in the Regne Animal. The ge- 



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