8 INTRODUCTION. 



The insect world is divided into ten orders or general divisions, 

 which are again sub-divided into sub-orders, families, and species, 

 as follows : — 



Types. 

 Silver Fish or Sugar Louse. 

 Earwigs, Cockroaches, Grass- 

 hoppers, etc. 

 Nerve-winged Insects. 

 Ants, Bees, Wasps, etc. 

 Beetles. 



Moths and Butterflies. 

 Two-winged Flies. 

 Fleas. 

 Thrips. 



Scale Insects, " Bugs," Water 

 Measurers, Water Boat- 

 men, Greenflies. 

 Looking down this formidable list one is relieved to find that with- 

 out more ado it may be reduced from ten to five, if we retain only 

 those orders for which we have an immediate use, as follows : — 



1. Neuroptera Nerve-winged Insects, Plates la, 3, 4, 6, 6. 



2. Hymenoptera Wasp-waisted Flies, Plates la, 8. 



3. Coleoptera Beetles, Plates la, 7. 



4. Diptera. Two-winged Flies, Plates la, 1, 2. 



6. Hemiptera Water Measurers, Boatmen, etc.. Plates la, 7, 8. 



The illustration on the following pages will, we hope, make the 

 characteristics of each class clear to the observant reader. 



Insects undergo three distinct changes of form or meta- 

 morphoses ; they commence as an ovum or egg which hatches 

 into a larva commonly called a grub or caterpillar. During this 

 period the insect usually feeds voraciously, frequently doing great 

 damage to its food plants, and as it grows too large for its sheath 

 it casts it, this being repeated many times in some species. 

 Frequently the colour of the new sheath is in strong contrast 

 to the one cast off. Full growth being attained, the larva 

 changes into a pupa or chrysalis, a stage very variable in duration, 



