OF THE ANNULOSA. 371 



and Latreille, as to their affinity with the Diptera. Pro- 

 ceeding then on the fact that they belong to the Mandibu- 

 lata, which, by the by, appears at last to be admitted by 

 Latreille, we necessarily make inquiry as to the particular 

 part of this class in which they ought to be placed. Now, 

 the only chasms of importance, which we have noticed in the 

 column, are one between the Tridioptera of Kirby and the 

 Tenthredines, and the other between the Hymenoptera and 

 the Coleoptera. The deficiency of ocelli, the structure of the 

 whole insect, but particularly that of the wings, prove that 

 the Strepsiptera cannot occupy any vacancy near the Tri- 

 choptera. It therefore only remains for us to place them be- 

 tween the Hymenoptera and Coleoptera. But this appears 

 to be nearly the situation originally given to the Strepsi- 

 ptera by Mr. Kirby ; for in his very remarkable paper on 

 these insects, in the 11th volume of the Linnsean Trans- 

 actions, he says, " With respect to the place of Strepsi- 

 ptera in the system, it seems to me that this order should 

 follow Coleoptera ; for its metamorphosis being different 

 from that of Orthoptera and Hemiptera, and nearer to that 

 of the Coleoptera, this seems its most natural station consi- 

 dered as an elytrophorous order; especially since, if it be 

 inserted between Orthoptera and Hemiptera, with both 

 of which it has some affinity, it would interrupt the series 

 of semicomplete metamorphosis, by which, besides other 

 characters, those two orders are so closely united." He 

 had previously noticed a circumstance which at once di- 

 stinguishes them from all Coleoptera and Orthoptera, and 

 gives them an affinity with the Hymenoptera, namely, 

 a narrow collar instead of an ample thoracic shield. And 

 it is worthy of remark that Rossi, in the work which first 

 informed naturalists of their existence, placed them among 

 the Hymenoptera, induced to this, as Mr. Kirby supposes, 

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