No. XXXIV. A VIEW OF THE INSECT TRIBES, CONTINUED. What atom-forms of insect life appear! And who can follow nature's pencil here? BARBAULD. LINNE'S third order of insects, termed lepidoptera, has four wings, and consists of three genera only; but the species comprehended under them are exceedingly numerous. All butterflies and moths belong to this order. Their wings are covered with a farinaceous powder, or rather with a kind of scales or feathers, disposed in regular rows, nearly in the same manner as tiles are laid upon the roofs of houses. The elegance, the beauty, the variety of colours exhibited in their wings are produced by the disposition and different tinctures of these minute feathers. The insects of this order, on account of their beauty and easy preservation, have always been the favourites of collectors, and particularly of those of the female sex. When the feathers are rubbed off, the wings appear to be nothing more than a naked, and often a transparent membrane. The feelers of the papilio, or butterfly, are thickest at their extremity, and often terminate in a kind of knob, or head. Their wings, when sitting, or at rest, are erect, their extremities join each other above the body, and the animals fly about, in quest of food and of their mates, during the day. The moths are divided into two genera, the one called sphinx, or hawk-moth, and the other phalana, or moth. The feelers of the sphinx are thicker in the middle than at the extremities, and their form in some measure resembles that of a prism. The wings are, in general, deflected, their outer margins declining toward the sides. They fly about early in the morning, and after sunset; and, by means of their proboscis, like the butterflies, they suck the juices of plants.-The feelers of the phalana are setaceous, and taper from the base to the point. When at rest, their wings are commonly deflected; and they fly during the night. Previous to their transformation, the caterpillars of the whole of this genus spin webs for covering and protecting the animals while in the chrysalis state. From a species of this tribe mankind have derived one of the greatest articles of luxury and of commerce which now exists in the world. That seemingly contemptible, and disgusting reptile the silkworm, in its passage from the caterpillar to the chrysalis state, produces those splendid materials which adorn the thrones of princes, and add dignity and lustre to female beauty. The fourth order of insects is distinguished by the name neuroptera. They have four wings, which are membranaceous, naked, and so interspersed with delicate veins, that they have the appearance of beautiful net-work. Their tail has no sting; but that of the male is frequently furnished with a kind of forceps or pincers. To this order belongs the libellula, or dragon-fly, an insect of very splendid and variegated colours. It is a large and well known fly, and frequents rivers, lakes, pools, and stagnating waters, in which the females deposit their Under the same order is compreeggs. hended the phryganea, or spring-fly: the caterpillars of this genus live in the water, and are covered with a silken tube. They have a very sin gular aspect; for, by means of a gluten, they attach to the tubes in which they are inclosed small pieces of wood, sand, gravel, leaves of plants, and not unfrequently live on testaceous animals, all of which they drag along with them. They are very commonly found in salads of the water-cress; and, as they are often entirely covered with green leaves, they have the appearance of animated plants. They are in great request among fishermen, by whom they are distinguished by the name of stone or cod-bait. The fly, or perfect insect, frequents running waters, in which the females deposit their eggs. The fifth order is termed hymenoptera. In general the insects belonging to this order have four membranaceous and naked wings. In some of the genera, however, the neuters, and, in others, the males, or even, the females, have no wings. Their tails, except in the male sex, are armed with a sting. The female of the cynips, an insect belonging to this order, inserts her eggs into the leaves of the oak, and the caterpillars produced from them give rise to the galls employed in the composition of ink.-This order likewise includes the wasp, the bee, and the ant. Many of the wasp kind, like the bees, live in society, make combs in which the females deposit their eggs, and feed their caterpillars with an inferior species of honey. Others of them construct a separate nest for each individual egg.-The bee is an insect too well known to require a particular description. The males have no sting; but the females, and the drones, or neuters, have a very sharp pointed sting concealed in their abdomen. The female of the honey bee is much larger than the male, or the neuter; her feelers contain fifteen articulations; andher abdomen, composed of seven segments, is much longer than her wings. The feelers of the male contain only eleven articulations. The neuters are much smaller than the males or females, and their feelers consist of fifteen articulations.-The male and female ants are armed with a sting, which is concealed within the abdomen. The males and females are furnished with wings, but the neuters are deprived of these instruments of motion. The ants live in societies which are composed of males, females, and neuters: the males are much smaller than the females and neuters. Soon after the males and females propagate the species, they all die: some of the neuters, however, survive the winter; but they remain in their habitation without movement, or discovering any signs of life. From these circumstances in the history of ants, it is apparent, that the industry and sagacity so long and so universally ascribed to these little animals could be of no use either to themselves or their progeny. The females, after depositing their eggs, take no further care of their offspring. But, what is singular, the important office of feeding the caterpillars, after the eggs are hatched, is left entirely to the neuters. This affectionate and assiduous attention of the neuters to a progeny neither begot nor brought forth by them, is so astonishing, so contrary to the general economy of Nature, that no reasoning or theory can account for a fact so uncommon, till further discoveries shall be made in the history of these surprising animals. What is still more singular, after the caterpillars are transformed into the chrysalis state, the neuters are incessantly and anxiously employed in preserving the chrysalis from humidity when the weather is wet, and in exposing them to the warmth of the sun when it is fair. These chrysales are larger than the animals themselves, and yet they carry them off with ease and rapidity. The sixth order of insects is termed diptera or two-winged insects. The different species of this order, beside wings, are furnished with what is call ed a halter, or a poiser, which is situate under each wing, and is terminated by a knob. This order comprehends ten genera and a multitude of species. The caterpillars of the astrus, or gadfly, lie concealed in the skins of cattle, where they are nourished during the whole winter. The perfect insects are frequent wherever horses, cows, or sheep, are grazing. Some of them deposit their eggs in the skins of cows or oxen; others deposit them in the intestines of horses, to which they get access by the anus; and others in the nostrils of sheep. In these habitations, the caterpillars reside till they are full grown, when they throw themselves down to the earth, and generally pass the chrysalis state under the first stone they meet with.-The mouth of the musea, or common fly, consists of a soft, fleshy proboscis, with two lateral lips. The caterpillars of some of this genus devour the pucerons; others consume all kinds of putrid flesh; others are found in cheese; others in the excrements of different animals; and many of them live in the water, and prefer that which is most corrupted and muddy.-The mouth of the culex, or gnat, consists of a flexible sheath, inclosing four bristles, or pointed stings. The feelers of the female gnat are plain like a thread; but those of the male are beautifully feathered. The caterpillars of this genus are commonly found in stagnant waters. The gnats generally frequent woods and marshy places. The females, in particu lar, are very troublesome, and sting severely.-The feet of the hippobosca, or horsefly, are armed with a number of nails or crotchets: in some species, the wings cross each other; in others, they are open. The horseflies frequent woods and marshy grounds, and are extremely incommodious to birds and quadrupeds, whose blood is the only food of these insects. The seventh, and last order of insects Linné de |