ENTOMOLOGY. 
107 
observable in particular parts, will be afterwards 
traced as these orders pass successively under our 
review. 
The mesothorax is not always readily recognised 
by its situation as intermediate between the prothorax 
and metathorax, for, as above intimated, it frequently 
appears in direct connection with the head ; but it 
may always be known by supporting the fore-wings 
and middle pair of legs ; its anterior part is sometimes 
received into a cavity of the prothorax, when the 
latter is highly developed superiorly, at other times 
the union between the two is by the edges. So 
intimately is it soldered behind to the metathorax, 
that there is frequently no visible suture, but in many 
instances traces of the union can be detected. Ac- 
cording to Burmeister, (whose nomenclature of the 
parts in question appears to us preferable to that of 
most authors, on account of its greater uniformity and 
simplicity,) this section consists of seven pieces, 
but, as three pairs of these are so closely united that 
each pair seems to form only one piece, it may be 
regarded as composed of four principal parts ,* the 
first of these, the mesonotum, (corresponding to the 
dorsolum and scutcllumof Kirby and Spence,) forms 
the dorsal covering of the mesothorax. In many 
insects it is almost invariably concealed, but in 
others it is exposed and conspicuous ; in such cases 
its form is usually square, and there is a superficial 
indication of its consisting of two parts ; the one of 
these, the true back, exactly corresponds to the 
dorsolum of Kirby, the other is the scutellum , which 
