ON LARVVE. 79 



The Eeet of larvae are of two kinds, both of 

 which are especially remarkable in the larvae of 

 Moths and Butterflies ; but in some classes, as that 

 to which Bees belong, and that in which the Gnat 

 tribes find their place, legs are altogether absent, 

 with a few exceptions. One special class of Beetle 

 larvae is also without legs ; those of the Curcu- 

 lionidce, for example, which, like the footless class 

 named above, are of course mere worms, with the 

 exception of certain rudimental and somewhat gela- 

 tinous tentacles in the form of small tubercular 

 excrescences, which assist the balance in moving. 



Of the two kinds of feet referred to, the first are 

 the six feet attached to those segments of the body, 

 most commonly three in number, Avhich form the 

 trunk. These feet are regularly jointed, and are, in 

 fact, the only true feet, or pedes veri, as they have 

 been termed, within which the legs of the perfect 

 insect may be said to be contained. 



The second kind are those merely membranous 

 feet attached to the abdominal portion of the body, 

 and commonly called ventral feet ; also pro-pedes 

 and pedes spurii ; that is to say, membranous sub- 

 stitutes for feet, or spurious feet. These spurious 

 feet generally commence on the sixth segment, and 

 the four pairs are placed on that and the next three 



