70 



The Naturalist. 



This of itself one would think sufficient to separate them as a distinct 

 order. An opportunity of witnessing the pairing of these insects may 

 perhaps not often occur. I had once a most favourable one, and the 

 species noticed was one of the larger kind. It was in a part of the 

 New Forest, Hampshire, in September, 1856, and remembering what 

 Westwood says on the subject (Introd., vol. 2, p. 38), I did not 

 neglect this opportunity. Without going into particulars, I was 

 perfectly satisfied of the truth of the statement alluded to, and tLat 

 Burmeister's assertion to the contrary is without foundation. I may 

 add that, after pairing, the male does not let go his hold of the other 

 sex by the back of the neck, but assists her in the act of oviposition. 



Besides the above distinction, the Odonata has no close relationship 

 with any other tribe in the JSTeuroptera of Linnseus. Their eminently 

 predaceous habits, their rapid and graceful flight, their very large eyes, 

 their powerful jaws, their antennse — in fact their whole organisation, 

 places them at a great distance above the insects which will compose 

 the next order. 



2. Neuroptera-heteea. — This order will contain the families 

 Perlidse, Ephemeridae, and Psocidse ; the Termitidse not being natives 

 of Britain. 



3. Orthoptera. — The species of insects belonging to this order, 

 and inhabiting Britain, are few. They are comprised in the following 

 families : — Blattidse, Forficulidse, Achetidae, Gryllidas, and Locustid^. 



4. Hemiptera. — It will be seen that three of our British authors 

 separate the Homoptera as an order distinct from the Hemiptera 

 proper, and I think they have done wisely. The tendency in the 

 present day is to multiply families and genera, many of the proposed 

 families in the Hemiptera being represented by only one or two 

 British species. And if entomologists agree with the authors alluded 

 to, each of the two orders will contain far more British species than 

 there are in each of the preceding. 



There being no British species analogous to the Geodephaga among 

 the Coleoptera, the order will commence with those which represent 

 the Hydradephaga, namely, Notonectidae, Hydrometrid^, &c. ; and 

 this has been done by both Curtis and Westwood. The tribe 

 Beduvina contains predaceous insects, but of inferior construction, and 

 are more nearly related to the Anthocorina. 



5. Homoptera.— The catalogue of these insects, published by the 

 Entomological Society of London in 1876, does not include the 

 Aphid^ and Coccid^, and the arrangement is somewhat novel to 

 British entomologists. 



