90 
THE WEEKLY ENTOMOLOGIST. 
these creatures have been included in 
one class Insecta. It is however by- 
no means necessary, that every indi- 
vidual or set of individuals belonging 
to this class, should possess all the 
characteristics by which the said class 
is distinguished. So, we see, the 
question then arises, how many of 
these characteristics may be wanting, 
before we are justified in denying an 
animal a place among insects? Insects 
have four wings we are told. But the 
Diptera have only two ! Yet they un- 
dergo metamorphoses like other in- 
sects, they have eyes and ocelli like 
the Hymenoptera and other orders, 
which they resemble in other respects. 
Again the hind wings are apologized 
for in the Diptera by the halter cs, 
which Mr. Westwood, in our humble 
opinion, most satisfactorily proves to 
be the real representatives of the hind 
wings, in opposition to the theory 
that the latter are indicated by the 
alula. These, as the learned writer 
most ably shows are but appendages 
of the fore wings. 
But to proceed, of those insects 
which possess four wings, some we 
see have the upper wings horny and 
opaque, some covered with hairs and 
feathers, and some transparent, these 
latter, again, varying materially in 
structure. The natural divisions thus 
constituted we call orders. We have 
not space to pursue the subject fur- 
ther, proceeding from orders to fami- 
lies and subfamilies and thence to 
genera and species, and indoed it 
would bo superfluous when there is 
such abundance of good books on the 
subject.. To our j'ounger readers we 
would make this remark in closing. 
The more acquainted you become with 
the general appearance of your insects, 
as well as with their anatomy, and 
economy, the less arbitrary will clas- 
sification appeal’, and perhaps at no 
very distant time you will find out some 
fact in Nature’s law of order hitherto 
overlooked, and suddenly find your- 
selves raised to the acme of Entomo- 
logical glory. 
The Weekly Entomologist may be 
obtained of Mr. T. Blackburn, 
Bowdon, Cheshire, by post, price 
Three Shillings and Three Pence 
per quarter, prepaid. 
After October 4tli. 1862, the price 
of No. 1. of the “Entomologist” 
will be four-pence. The other num- 
bers may still bo had, — price two- 
pence each. 
Remittances should be sent in Post 
Office Orders or Stamps. 
Those who make any discovery, or 
capture of a rare species, or observa- 
tion of general interest, are requested 
to communicate, at once, a notice of 
the same, to Mr, T. Blackuuun, 
Bowdon, Cheshire. 
All communications to be addressed 
to Mr. T. Blackburn, Bowdon, 
Cheshire. No notice will be taken of 
anonymon communications. 
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