306 
SYSTEMATIC ARRANGEMENT 
live, in their perfect state, on flowers ; some of them 
subsisting on honey and the juices of fruits, while 
others are carnivorous. The larvae are very diversi- 
fied both in their habits and structure. 
These insects are very numerous and widely distri- 
buted. In amount of species they are probably 
next to the Coleoptera and Diptera ; and as the 
societies many of them form are exceedingly popu- 
lous, the number of individuals must be very great. 
Considerably above 2000 have been described as 
British, but as many of the parasitical kinds are 
very minute, it is likely that no small number re- 
main undetected. 
Latreille divides the order into two great sections. 
I. Terebrantia, in which the females are provided 
with a saw-like ovipositor. This he divides into 
two subsections: — 1st, Securifera ; having the ab- 
domen sessile and provided with a saw ; larvae with 
feet. Fam. Tenthredinidce , Siricidce. 2d, Pupi- 
vora ; abdomen pedunculated and provided with a 
borer ; larvae without feet. Fam. Evaniidai, Ich- 
neumonidee, Cynipidce, Chalcididce , Proctotrupidce, 
Chrysididce. Section II. Aculeata ; abdomen of 
the females armed with a sting. This includes four 
subsections, ltf, Heterogyna ; females or neuters 
wingless. Fam. Formicidce, MutiUidce . 2d, F os- 
sores ; females winged, wings not folded, basal joint 
of posterior tarsi simple. Fam. Sphegidce, fyc. fyc. 
3d, Diploptera ; females and neuters winged, wings 
folded. Fam. Vespidce, tyc. 4tk, Mellifera ; females 
and neuters winged, wings not folded, posterior tarsi 
