ELYTRA. 
diffusion of knowledge, as those languages 
are familiar to all people of education. 
Coleoptera is formed of two Greek 
words, one of which* means a sheath, 
the other -}- a wing. The distinguishing 
mark of this order, which is common to 
all the genera, is the having two sheaths, 
or wing cases ; and, folded under these 
cases, two membranaceous wings ; the 
sheaths are called elytra, or a single 
sheath elytron, 
Lucy. Of what use are the wings, 
when squeezed up under these elytra ? 
Mother. The insect can, at pleasure, 
spread forward the elytra, and unfold 
its wings. 
Lucy, So that it uses the elytra to 
fly with, as well as its wings ? 
Mother. It does; and in fact it has 
four wings, but only the membranaceous 
pair are termed wings ; the others are 
called either elytra or sheaths, or some- 
times (from the hardness of their struc- 
ture) shells. 
* Coleos. -j- Pteron*. 
