u 
INTRODUCTION. 
general idea of the digestive apparatus of an insect, 
the various organs of which, of course, differ according 
to the habits of the orders. 
The intestinal canal 
lies in the median line 
of the body, and runs 
from one extremity to 
the other; it is formed 
of three membranes, 
and commences be¬ 
hind the mouth in 
an oesophagus, termi¬ 
nating posteriorily in 
a widened cavity 
(cloaca), which also 
receives the internal 
generative organs; 
the oesophagus leads 
into the first stomach 
or crop, from thence, 
in mandibulate in¬ 
sects, into a second 
stomach, which from 
7 4 
its beingsupplied with 
horny plates to bruise 
the food has been 
called the gizzard; 
this leads into the true 
stomach, where the process of chylification takes place; 
the whole surface of this stomach is often plentifully 
supplied with glandular bodies called villi, which are 
supposed to secrete a gastric juice; a number of very 
Digestive Apparatus of a Beetle. 
r, (Esophagus, c, Crop, p, Gizard. e, Stomach. 
F ami g. Small and large intestine, n. Anus, 
i, Biliary vessels, k, Secretary organs. 
