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A Large Family (There are a great many species)

There are a great many species of Orthoptera in the world, and we have seen but a very few of them.

But I can tell you, we feel a little better acquainted with you orthopterous fellows than we did.

The dragon fly says we have not given him a place.

But, dear dragon fly, you belong to another family. You are not an orthopterous insect.

Your order is called the ODO-NA-TA.

The wings of the Odonata are very different from those of the Orthoptera.

You remember how they are?

Yes, Ned, they are stiff and covered with a close network of fine veins, and all four of them are alike. No wing covers, you see.

I do not know why they have the name Odonata.

The young Odonata are not like their parents, excepting that they have a head, a thorax with six legs, and an abdomen. But they certainly do not look like their parents!

No, John, the May flies do not belong to the Odonata. Their wings are quite different.

Do you not remember how small the hind wings are?

The name of their order is EPH-E-MER-I-DA.

There is a big name for a little insect!

It comes from the Greek word ephemeros, and you know what it means.

What? Has everybody forgotten about the dainty little ephemeræ, that live but a day?

That is what ephemeros means, lasting but a day.

The stone flies have four wings, but they are not like those of the Odonata, or of the Ephemerida.

Do you remember how the hind wings are folded ?

Yes, May, in plaits, so these are the plaited wings, or PLE-COP-TE-RA, from pteran, a wing, and plecos, plaited. The little silver fish, as you remember, has no wings at all, so its order is called THY-SA-NU-RA, from its bristle tail, thysanos, in Greek, meaning a tassel, and oura, the tail.

HEMIPTERA P 5