MOTIONS OF INSECTS. 471 
affirms that the wings of insects of this order are not usually proportioned 
to the weight of their bodies, and that the muscular apparatus that moves 
them is deficient in force. In consequence of which, he observes, they 
take flight with difficulty, and fly very badly. The strokes of their wings 
being frequent, and their flight short, uncertain, heavy, and laborious, they 
can use their wings only in very calm weather, the least wind beating them 
down. Yet he allows that others, whose bodies are lighter, rise into the 
air and fly with a little more ease, especially when the weather is warm and 
dry; their flights, however, being short, though frequent. He asserts also, 
that no coleopterous insect can fly against the wind.t These observations 
may hold, perhaps, with respect to many species; but they will by no 
means apply generally. The cockchafer (Melolontha vulgaris), if thrown 
into the air in the evening, its time of flight, will take wing before it falls to 
the ground. The common dung-chafer (Geotrupes stercorarius) —wheeling 
from side to side like the humble-bee—flies with great rapidity and force, 
and, with all its dung-devouring confederates, directs its flight with the 
utmost certainty, and probably often against the wind, to its food. The 
root devourers or tree-chafers (Melolontha, Hoplia,&c.) support themselves, 
like swarming bees, in the air and over the trees, flying round in all direc- 
tions. The Brachyptera and Donacie, in warm weather, fly off from their 
station with the utmost ease ;—their wings are unfolded, and they are in 
the air in an instant, especially the latter, as I have often found when I 
have attempted to take them. None are more remarkable for this than 
the Cicindele, which, however, taking very short. flights, are as easily 
marked down as a partridge, and afford as much amusement to the ento- 
mologist as the latter to the sportsman. It is to be observed that many 
insects in this order have no wings, and the female glow-worms neither 
wings nor elytra. 
Many persons are not aware that the insects of the next order, the 
Dermaptera, can fly; but earwigs (Foryficula), their size considered, are 
furnished with very ample and curious wings, the principal nervures of 
which are so many radii, diverging from a common point near the an- 
terior margin. Between these are others, which, proceeding from the oppo- 
site margin, terminate in the middle of the wing. These organs, when at 
rest, are more than once folded both transversely and longitudinally. 
Wings equally ample, forming the quadrant of a circle, and with five or 
six nervures diverging from their base, distinguish the Sfrepsipterous tribe. 
When unemployed, these are folded longitudinally.* 
Probably in the next order (Orthoptera) the tegmina, or wing-covers — 
since they are usually of a much thinner substance than elytra— assist 
them in flying. They are, however, quite covered by irregular reticulations, 
produced by various nervures sent forth by the longitudinal ones, and 
running in all directions. When at rest, the inner part of one laps over 
that of the other; but in different genera there is a singular variation in 
this circumstance. Thus in Blatta, Phasma, and male Acride, and generally 
speaking, but not invariably, in Locusta and Truvalis, the left elytrum laps 
over the right; but in Mantis, Mantispa, some female Acride, Gryllus, and 
1 Entomol. i. 1. 
_ * It has been ascertained that the spurious elytra of these insects are serviceable 
in their flight. As M. Latreille now allows this, he ought to haye restored its ori- 
ginal name, which he had altered, to this order, 
HH 4 
