51 
CHAPTER VIII. 
ON THE SECTIONS AND FAMILIES OF THE COLEOPTERA. 
According to the system adopted by many modern 
writers, the Hymenoptera are placed at the head 
of the Insccta as containing among its members 
those insects that appear to be endowed with the 
highest intellectual faculties (e.g. Ants and Bees) ; by 
many, however, the priority is assigned to the Ooleop- 
tera, which are in some points the most highly 
developed in structure, and in number of species 
probably excel any of the other orders ; upwards of 
150,000 at least must now be known, and numbers of 
new species are constantly being found in all quarters 
of the globe. 
The general structure is very marked, in spite of 
the ever-varying forms that are discovered ; with 
one or two exceptions (such as Platypsylla and 
Stylops before referred to) a beetle is always recog- 
nized as a beetle in the perfect state ; in the larval 
state the case is very different, and no one, for instance, 
would recognize the larvm of Gyrinus, Haliplus, Meloe,' 
and the Curculionidm as in any way connected with 
one another. 
When, however, we come to the classification of tho 
Ooleoptera, we are met by very great difficulties, 
which arise from the fact that it is quite impossible 
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