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A PAPER, 



In addressing the following observations to the Entomo- 

 logical Society of London, it seems needful to remark that they 

 form part of an essay, now in the course of publication in the 

 Entomological Magazine, under the title of " Osteology, or 

 External Anatomy of Insects." In all probability very few 

 of the members of this Society have even heard of that essay, 

 or are in any way acquainted with its nature and objects ; 

 permit me, then, to premise that it has in view the establish- 

 ment of a uniform nomenclature for all the parts observable in 

 Hexapod Insects. One portion only of the essay has been 

 published; in which, adopting an idea previously broached, 

 I have attempted to show that all Tetrapterous Hexapods are 

 composed of thirteen segments or rings ; to these rings I 

 have proposed the following names: — 1. Caput; 2. Pro- 

 thorax ; 3. Mesoihorax ; 4. Metaihorax ; 5. Propodeon ; 

 G.Podcon; 1 . Metapodeon ; S.Oetoon; d.Efinaton; \0. De- 

 caton; 11. Protelum ; \2. Paratelum ; 13. Telum. I have 

 further shewn that the legs are attached thus, — the first pair, 

 which I propose calling Propedes, to the Prothorax ; the 

 second pair, Mesopedes, to the Mesothorax ; the third pair, 

 Metapedcs, to the Metatkorax : and that the wings are at- 

 tached thus, — the first pair, to the Mesothorax, to be called 

 Proalce. ; the second pair, to the Metathorax, to be called 

 Metalee. As far as my knowledge extends, no technical term 

 had been previously applied to nineteen out of these twenty- 

 three parts ; whilst four, the Caput, Prothorax, Mesothorax, 

 and Metathorax, had received, some years before, the names 

 now retained. I propose, further, that the prefixes, pro, mcso, 

 and meta, be applied to the individual articulations of each pair 

 of legs, these never having, to my knowledge, received tech- 

 nical appellations. 



