NATURAL HISTORY. 
151 
ROOM IV.] 
The Table Cases contain a selection of Annulose Animals to il¬ 
lustrate their arrangement; the General Collection being kept in cabi¬ 
nets in a private room for study. These animals are called annu¬ 
lose, or ringed, because they are covered with a hard skin, which 
is divided by transverse contractions into rings, which enables the body 
to move in every direction. This skin falls off as the animal increases 
in size, a new soft onfe being formed beneath it, which hardens on 
exposure to the air. The outward form is often greatly altered each 
time they change their skin, until they arrive at their full size. They 
are furnished with three or more pairs of jointed legs for locomotion, 
and sometimes with wings for flight; but these organs are often only 
exhibited when the animal is in a perfect state of developement. 
The winged annulose animals, (Ptilota,) Cases 1—10, to which 
the name of Insects is most generally confined; in their last and 
perfect state they have only three pairs of true legs, and in most 
instances two pairs of wings. They generally undergo a great change 
in appearance before they assume this perfect state. These insects are 
divided into two great groups, according to the form of their mouth, 
some being provided with jaws ( Mandibulata ) for gnawing their food, 
while others have only a trunk or proboscis, ( Hausteilata ,) and live by 
suction. 
The Jaw-bearing Insects (Mandibulata, Cases 1—4) are divided 
into orders, according to the form and structure of their wings. 
The Coleoptera, or Beetles, (Cases 1—3,) have generally two hard 
homy wing-cases, or shards, united by a straight line, and covering 
two folded transparent wings, with w 7 hich they fly. This order con¬ 
tains some of the most brilliant insects, as the Diamond-beetle, Bu- 
prestis, &c. 
The Orthoptera, (Cases 3 and 4,) the upper wings of which are 
generally like parchment, and fold over each other at the edge, as the 
Cockroaches, the Praying Insects (Mantis), Walking Sticks (Phasma), 
Crickets, and Locusts. In the latter Case are also exhibited the 
Neuropterous Insects, which have usually two pairs of similar netted 
wings, as the Dragon-flies, Ant-Lion, &c., and the Hymenopterous 
Insects, which have four wings, with fewer nervures than in the pre¬ 
ceding order, and all taking their origin from the base of the wfings; 
the body of the female ends in an egg-depositor, or sting, as the 
Ichneumon, Ant, Wasp, Bee, &c. 
The Suctorial Insects (Haustellata, Cases 5 to 10) have only a 
trunk or proboscis. 
The Lepidopterous Insects (Cases 5 to 9) have their wings for the 
most part covered with a series of minute scales, which are very finely 
and microscopically striated, and reflect most beautiful colours. Some, 
as the Butterflies, ( Papilionidce ,) fly by day, and have club-shaped an¬ 
tennae. ( Cases 5 and 6.) Others, having prismatic antennae, generally 
fly just before sunset, as the Sphinges or Hawkmoths. ( Case 8.) Those 
wdiich chiefly fly in the evening, and have pectinate, or filiform antennae, 
as the Moths, are in Cases 8 and 9. 
The Dipterous Insects, (Case 10,) which have only two transparent 
wings with radiating ribs, the under pair of wings being replaced with 
haltere s, or balancers, as the Crane-fly, Bluebottle, &c. 
The Hemipterous insects, so called because in some the lower half 
