On the Origin and Metamorphoses of Insects Part 1

On the Origin and Metamorphoses of Insects.

by Sir John Lubbock.

PREFACE.

For some years, much of my leisure time has been devoted to the study of the anatomy, development, and habits of the Annulosa, and especially of Insects, on which subjects I have published various memoirs, chiefly in the Transactions of the Royal, Linnaean, and Entomological Societies: of these papers I subjoin a list. Although the details, of which these memoirs necessarily for the most part consist, offer little interest, excepting to those persons who are specially devoted to Entomology, still there are portions which, having reference to the nature of metamorphoses and to the origin of insects, are of a more general character. I have also briefly referred to these questions in a Monograph of the Collembola and Thysanura, recently published by the Ray Society, and in the Opening Address to the Biological Section of the British a.s.sociation at Brighton in 1872. Under these circ.u.mstances, it has been suggested to me that a small volume, containing, at somewhat greater length, in a more accessible form, and with the advantage of ill.u.s.trations, the conclusions to which I have been led on this interesting subject, might not be altogether without interest to the general reader. The result, which has already appeared in the pages of _Nature_, is now submitted to the public, with some additions. I am well aware that it has no pretence to be in any sense a complete treatise; that the subject itself is one as to which our knowledge is still very incomplete, and on which the highest authorities are much divided in opinion. Whatever differences of opinion, however, there may be as to the views here put forward, the facts on which they are based will, I believe, be found correct. On this point I speak with the more confidence, on account of the valuable a.s.sistance I have received from many friends: to Mr. and Mrs. Busk and Dr. Hooker I am especially indebted.

The papers above referred to are as follows:-

1. _On Labidocera._-Annals and Magazine of Natural History, vol. xi., 1853.

2. On Two New Sub-genera of Calanidae.-Annals and Magazine of Natural History, vol. xii., 1853.

3. On Two New Species of Calanidae.-Annals and Magazine of Natural History, vol. xii., No. lxvii., 1853.

4. On Two New Species of Calanidae.-Annals and Magazine of Natural History, vol. xii., No. lxix., 1853.

5. On some Arctic Calanidae.-Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 1854.

6. On the Freshwater Entomostraca of South America.-Transactions of the Entomological Society, vol.

iii., 1855.

7. On some New Entomostraca.-Transactions of the Entomological Society, vol. iv., 1856.

8. On some Marine Entomostraca found at Weymouth.-Annals and Magazine of Natural History, vol. xx., 1857.

9. On the Respiration of Insects.-Entomological Annual, 1857.

10. An Account of the Two Methods of Reproduction in _Daphnia_.-Transactions of the Royal Society, 1857.

11. On the Ova and Pseudova of Insects.-Transactions of the Royal Society, 1858.

12. On the Arrangement of the Cutaneous Muscles of _Pygaera Bucephala_.-Linnean Society's Transactions, vol. xxii., 1858.

13. On the Freshwater Entomostraca of South America.-Entomological Society's Transactions, 1858.

14. On _Coccus Hesperidum_.-Royal Society Proceedings, vol.

ix., 1858.

15. On the Distribution of Tracheae in Insects.-Linnean Society's Transactions, vol. xxiii., 1860.

16. On the Generative Organs and on the Formation of the Egg in Annulosa. Transactions of the Royal Society, 1861.

17. On _Sphaerularia Bombi._-Natural History Review, 1861.

18. On some Oceanic Entomostraca.-Linnean Society's Transactions, vol. xxiii., 1860.

19. On the Thysanura. Part 1.-Linnean Society's Transactions, 1862.

20. On the Development of Lonchoptera.-Entomological Society's Transactions, 1862.

21. On the Thysanura. Part 2.-Linnean Society's Transactions, 1862.

22. On the Development of Chloeon. Part 1.-Linnean Society's Transactions, 1863.

23. On Two Aquatic Hymenoptera.-Linnean Society's Transactions, 1863.

24. On some little-known Species of Freshwater Entomostraca.-Linnean Society's Transactions, vol. xxiv., 1863.

25. On _Sphaerularia Bombi_.-Natural History Review, 1864.

26. On the Development of Chloeon. Part 2.-Linnean Society's Transactions, 1865.

27. Metamorphoses of Insects.-Journal of the Royal Inst.i.tution, 1866.

28. On _Pauropus_.-Linnean Society's Transactions, 1866.

29. On the Thysanura. Part 3.-Linnean Society's Transactions, 1867.

30. Address to the Entomological Society.-Entomological Society's Transactions, 1867.

31. On the Larva of Micropeplus Staphilinoides.-Entomological Society's Transactions, 1868.

32. On the Thysanura. Part 4.-Linnean Society's Transactions, 1869.

33. Addresses to the Entomological Society.-Entomological Society's Transactions, 1867-1868.

34. On the Origin of Insects.-Journal of the Linnean Society, vol. xi.

35. Opening Address to the Biological Section of the British a.s.sociation.-British a.s.sociation Report, 1872.

36. Observations on Ants, Bees, and Wasps. Part 1.-Journal of the Linnean Society, 1873.

37. On British Wild Flowers considered in relation to Insects, 1874.

38. Observations on Ants, Bees, and Wasps. Part 2.-Journal of the Linnean Society, 1874.

39. Observations on Ants, Bees, and Wasps. Part 3.-Journal of the Linnean Society, 1875.

40. Observations on Ants, Bees, and Wasps. Part 4.-Journal of the Linnean Society, 1877.

41. On some Points in the Anatomy of Ants.-Quekett Lecture, 1877.-Microscopical Journal.

42. On the Colors of Caterpillars.-Entomological Society's Transactions, 1878.

43. Observations on Ants, Bees, and Wasps. Part 5.-Journal of the Linnean Society, 1878.