DESCRIPTION OF THE PIIYLOPTERA. 
287 
bad been done upon this subject. We have examined the fundaments 
characters of the head, thorax, and abdomen, points neglected by most 
systematic writers, not spending much time on the peripheral, i. e., the 
superficial adaptive characters of the mouth-parts, wings, and legs, 
which have been elaborated by systematic entomologists; believing that 
by this method perhaps more thorough and better grounded views might 
result. The outcome lias been to lead us to separate the Neuroptera, as 
defined farther on, from the Pseudoneuroptera, and to regard these two 
groups, with the Ortlioptera and Dermatoptera, as four orders of a cate- 
gory which may be regarded as a superorder, for which the name 1'hy- 
loptera is proposed, as these four orders are probably closely allied to, 
if not iu some cases identical with, the stem or ancestral groups from 
which probably all the higher orders — the Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Di- 
ptera, Lepidoptera, and Hymenoptera — have originated. 
We will first briefly summarize the characters as we understand them 
of the Pliyloptera as a whole ; then the distinguishing marks of the four 
orders, thou briefly discuss their probable genealogy, closing with a more 
extended though very coudensed account of the essential peculiarities 
of structure of the families, as represented by one or more of the typical 
genera. 
Superorder PIIYLOPTERA . 137 
The mouth-parts are free, adapted invariably for biting ; the mandi- 
bles being toothed and adapted for chewing; the first maxilhe separate, 
with three divisions, the outer bearing usually five-jointed palpi; the 
second maxillse united to form a labium, divided into a snbmentum, 
ineutum, and ligula, the latter varying much, being either cleft (Pseudo- 
neuroptera) or entire (Neuroptera), and bearing usually a three-jointed 
palpus. This is the primitive, elementary condition of the month-parts, 
and such as obtains in Coleopterous larvae. The head is notable from 
the great development of the epicranium. The clypeus is often divided 
into two portions, a posterior (post-clypeus) and anterior (ante-clypeus); 
in the other and higher orders the clypeus is entire. 
The prothorax is usually very large and square, but in a few fami- 
lies, as the Phryganeidse, Panorpidae, Psocidaa, Libellulidae, and Ephe. 
meridas, it is small and collar-like. There is a marked equality iu size 
and form of the meso- and metathorax ; in most Ortlioptera and some 
Pseudoneuroptera and Neuroptera the metathorax is often even larger 
than the mesotliorax; in this respect the Pliyloptera differ from any of 
the higher Hexapoda. In both of the two hinder segments of the thorax 
tliefour tergal scleritos, viz : the prmscutum, scutum, scutellum, and post- 
scutellum, are each well developed, aud more equably so than in the 
higher orders. The scutum is deeply excavated iu front to receive the 
often large subtriangular or cordate praescutum; and in some genera 
137 from <f» GW, goiis, nation ; irr«p6v } wing. 
