ON LABELING SPECIMENS AND TAKING NOTES. 



325 



4. The abdomen. — The size and general form of the abdomen ; 

 the number of visible abdominal segments ; the details of the mark- 

 ings of the abdomen ; the number and structure of the caudal ap- 

 pendages ; and the number and position of the abdominal spiracles. 



In preparing a description of a larva the follow- 

 ing features should be observed : — 



The size and general form of the body ; the presence or absence 

 of legs and of prolegs ; the number and position of the prolegs when 

 present ; in footless larvae, the presence or absence of a distinct 

 head ; the general color of the skin, and the color and pattern of its 

 markings ; the nature of the clothing or armature of the body; the 

 colors of the clothing or armature ; in " naked " larvae, the arrange- 

 ment of the tubercles bearing minute hairs- or more conspicuous 

 spines ; in hairy larvae, the arrangement of the hairs, whether scat- 

 tered evenly over the body or gathered in tufts; if the hairs are 

 tufted, the arrangement of the tufts ; the number and position of 

 long pencils of hairs if present ; the number and position of the 

 spiracles. 



In addition to the above, there are many features 

 characteristic of limited groups of insects which will 

 be learned by the student as he advances in the study 

 of such groups. 



