OF INSECTS IN GENERAL* 
Sect. IV. — Of the E-eternal Parts av.d GlaJJlcal Charac- 
ters of life Els. 
Insects have always been conlidered as a diftinft clafs 
of the animal kingdom, though naturalhls have not 
agreed m ascertaining its limits. The (hades of nature 
are indeed intimately blended together 3 and thofe links 
by which the connects different portions of her animated 
offspring, are often fmall and imperceptible. The infeft 
tribe comprehends thofe fmall animals which are deftitute 
of red blood, bones, and cartilages ; which are furnifned 
with a mouth, or elfe a trunk, opening lengtilwife ; and 
which breathe by means of dogmata, or apertures, upon 
the external parts of the body. They have obtained the 
name of inlefts from the frequent incifions by which 
their bodies are apparently divided into feveral parts oy 
fegments. 
The body of thefe animals is divided by naturalifts 
into a head, thorax, abdomen, and limbs. The head is, 
for the molt part, diltioft from the thorax, being attach- 
ed to it only by a (lender tendon, and is furnifhed with 
eyes, palpi, and antennae, which we have already feen 
are tne organs, of the different fenfes. This whole tribe 
of animals is fuppofed by Linnceus to be deflitute of 
brains *, 
Hie antennae are organs peculiar to infefts ; and ac- 
cording to their various forms and proportions, afford 
fyftematip 
J Vide Syftpma Natura, Tom. I. Part I. p. S33 . 
