OF NATURAL HISTORY. 8g 



The upper part of the trunk or body of infers is called the tho- 

 rax, and the under part the abdomen or belly. The abdomen con- 

 tains the ftomach and other vifcera. It confifls of feveral rings or 

 fegments, and is perforated with fpiracula, or tubes, which fupply 

 the want of lungs. The abdomen is terminated by the tail, which, 

 in fome infecls, is arnied with a fting, a forceps, a briftle, or a kind 

 of claw with a moveable thumb. 



The legs are compofed of three parts, connected to each other by 

 joints, and reprefent the thighs, {hanks, ankles, and feet of larger 

 animals. 



The wings of infefts are fo diverfified in number, confiftence, 

 and colour, that Linnaeus has made them the foundation of the 

 feveral orders or divifions into which he divides this numerous clafs 

 of animals. Some infe£ls are furnifhed with four, and others with 

 two wings, and fome of them are entirely deftitute of thefe inftru- 

 ments of motion* 



The four- winged infeds are arranged into five orders. The j(fr^ 

 order Linnaeus diilinguifhcs by the name of coleoptera, or thofe 

 infeds whofe upper pair of wings confift of a hard, cruftaceous, or 

 horny fubftance. Thefe cover and defend the under pair, which 

 are of a more foft and flexible texture. This order comprehends 

 the whole of what is properly called fcarabaei, or the beetle tribe. 

 Like other winged infed:s, all the beetles live for fome time in the. 

 form of caterpillars, or grubs. 



As a farther confirmation of the conneiSion of manners with 

 form and ftrufture, it is here worthy of remark, that the fame ani- 

 mals, when in the {late of caterpillars, live in a different manner,, 

 and feed on fubftances of a very different kind from thofe they con- 

 t M fijme 



