Abdomen (ab-dō'-men). The lower part of an animal's body. The part behind the thorax in insects.

Adult (ă-dult'). (L. adultus = grown up.) Grown to full size and strength.

Anchor (ang'-kor). (Gr. = a hook.) Anchors are used to fasten ships by a line to the bottom of the sea. Applied to anything that holds a movable body fast in one place.

Antenna; pl. Antennae (an-ten'-nee). The feeler in front of the insect's head with which it hears and smells as well as feels.

Aphis (ā'-fis) pl. Aphides (af'-i-dēz).

Aphid (af'-id) The plant louse, of which there are a great many kinds.

Apparatus (ap-a-rā'-tus). Tools or machinery used in working or in making things.

Aquarium (a-kwā'-ri-um). (L. aquarium = watering-place for cattle.) A vessel of water for keeping water plants or water animals.

Attract (at-trakt'). (L. attractus = draw to.) To draw toward.

Audubon (aw'-do-bon), John James. A very famous student of birds and their ways. In his great book, "The Birds of America," which was published in 1827, there are many large colored drawings made by himself.

Beech-nuts Small, three-cornered nuts that grow on beech trees, and that are very sweet and good.

Breeding-place The place where young animals are born.

Brood A family of young animals.

Caddice, or Caddis fly (kad'-is flī). Sometimes called "case fly," from the case or shell which the larva makes about itself; "caddice" is another way of saying "case."

Camera (kam'-e-ra). An instrument for taking photographs.

Cannibal (kan'-ĭ-bal). A human being who eats human flesh. Any animal that eats others of its own kind.

Cargo (kar'-go). The goods or merchandise or whatever is carried in a ship.

Carnivorous (kar-niv'-ō-rus). (L. carnivorus = flesh-eating.) Applied to animals that feed on flesh, and plants that feed on insects.

Cast The cast-off skin of an insect that keeps the form of the insect's body.

Characteristic (kar-ak-te-ris'-tik). Showing the peculiar qualities of a person or thing.

Chitinous(kī'-tin-us). Hard, horny, and shell-like.

Cicada (si-kā'-dÄ). (L. cicada = tree cricket.) A popular name for insects, like the grasshopper, locust, and cricket, which make a creaking or chirping noise.

Cochineal (koch'-i-nēl or koch-i-nēl'). A crimson dyestuff made of the dried bodies of certain small insects. The insect is also called cochineal.

Cocoon (ko-koon'). (L. concha = a shell.) The silky envelope which the larvÆ of many insects spin to cover themselves.

Compact (kom-pakt'). (L. compactus = joined together.) Closely and firmly united.

Compound (kom'-pound). Made up of two or more parts.

Coxa (kok'-sa). (L. coxa = the hip.) The first segment of an insect's leg, sometimes called the hip.

Crevices (krev'-is-es). (L. crepare = to break, burst, crack.) Narrow openings or cracks.

Descendant (dē-sen'-dant). (L. descendere = to descend.) People or animals who have come from earlier people or animals.

Ear drum (ēr' drum). A membrane stretched across inside the ear.

Ejected (ē-jekt'-ed). (L. ejicere = to throw out.) Thrown out, driven away.

Emaciated (ē-mā'-shi-āt-ed). (L. emaciare = to make lean.) Very thin and wasted.

Emerge (e-merj'). (L. emergere = to rise out.) To appear, to come into sight.

EphemeridÆ (ef-ē-mer'-i-dē). (Gr. word = "lasting but a day.") The name of the May fly order.

Facets (fas'-ets). Little faces; small surfaces.

Femur (fē'-mer). (L. femur = a thigh.) The long bone of the upper leg above the knee. The third segment in the insect's leg.

Formidable (for'-mi-da-bl). (L. formidabilis = causing fear.) Hard to deal with; difficult to overcome.

Fry (frī). The young of fishes; used for any small animals.

Funnel (fun'-el). The shape of a hollow cone.

Gauzy (gaw'-zi). Very fine, thin, and transparent.

Ghosts (gōsts). The spirits or shadows of the dead.

Gills The breathing organs of any animal that lives in the water.

Gorge (gorj). To feed greedily; to stuff one's self.

Gossamer (gos'-a-mer). A fine filmy substance, like the cobweb of spiders.

Grub The larva of an insect.

Hearth (hărth). The part of the floor of a room where the fire is built.

Hemiptera (hē-mip'-te-ra). (Gr. = half-wing.) The name of an insect order including many kinds, all known as bugs.

Incomplete (in-kom-plēt'). Not fully finished or developed.

Injurious (in-jew'-ri-us). (L. injuriasus = acting unjustly or wrongly.) Something wrong or harmful.

Inquisitive (in-kwiz'-i-tiv). Curious and prying.

Insatiable (in-sā'-shi-a-bl). (L. insatiabilis = that cannot be satisfied.) Not easily satisfied; very greedy.

Isinglass (ī'-zing-glas). Thin, transparent sheets of mica.

Joint The place where two things or parts of one thing are joined or united.

Keel (kēl). The lowest part of the bottom of a ship.

Kettle drum (ket'-l drum). A musical instrument made of a hollow brass hemisphere over which is stretched parchment. This is sounded by blows from a mallet or stick.

Larva (lar'-va); pl. LarvÆ (lar'-vē). The young insect.

Lock To fasten in place.

Locust (lō'-kust). A shorthorned grasshopper.

Mantis (man'-tis); pl. Mantes (man'-tēz). (Gr. = prophet.) An orthopterous insect that holds its arms as if in prayer.

Membrane (mem'-brān). (L. membrana = thin skin.) A thin, soft tissue that connects two parts, or lines a body.

Mercaptan (mer-kap'-tan). (L. mercaptans = taking mercury.) A vile-smelling liquid that gets its name because of its strong action on mercury. It seizes upon mercury, so to speak.

Metallic (me-tal'-ik). Made up of metals, or like metals.

Metamorphosis (met-a-mor'-fō-sis). (L. metamorphosis = change, transformation.) A change of form; a development, as the change of the caterpillar into the chrysalis.

Mica (mī'-ka). A transparent mineral that can be separated into thin sheets or layers.

Microscope (mī'-krō-skōp). An instrument that magnifies, or makes objects look larger when placed beneath it.

Moult (mōlt). (L. mutare = to change.) To shed or cast off the feathers, hair, or skin.

Muscle (mus'-l). Bundles of fibres that have the power of growing longer or shorter. The body is moved by means of the muscles.

Nary (ner'-i). "Ne'er a," a contraction of "never a."

Nerve (nerv). (L. nervus = a fibre or tendon.) The nerves are fibres or threads that carry impressions to the brain. Nerved = having fibres, as in the wings of insects.

Neuroptera (nū-rŏp'-te-ra). (Gr. = nerve-wing.) The name of an insect order.

Nymph (nimf). (L. nympha = a bride, a young girl.) The young of insects that undergo an incomplete metamorphosis.

Ocelli (o-sel'-le), pl. of Ocellus. (L. = a little eye.) The tiny, simple eyes of insects.

Odonata (ō-dō-na'-ta). The name of an insect order to which belong the dragon flies.

Odors Pleasant or unpleasant smells.

Opera-glass (op'-e-ra-glas). Magnifying glasses used at the theatre or opera to make things seem nearer.

Organism (or'-gan-izm). A member of the animal or vegetable kingdom.

Orthoptera (or-thop'-tē-ra). (Gr. = straight-wing.) An insect order to which belong the grasshoppers.

Ovipositor (ō-vĭ-poz'-ĭ-tor). (L. ovum = egg, and ponere = to place.) The end of the abdomen of some insects, with which they are able to put their eggs in a good place to be hatched.

Oxygen (ok'-si-jen). A part of the air that is necessary to all animal and vegetable life.

Parasites (par'-a-sītz). Animals or plants that live on others.

Phylloxera (fil-ok-sē'-ra). (Gr. = leaf and dry.) An insect very destructive to grape vines.

Plaited (plāt'-ed). Folded length-wise like the plaits of a closed fan.

Plecoptera (plē-kŏp'-tē-ra). (Gr. = twist and wing.) An insect to which belong the stone flies.

Pollute(pō-lūt'). (L. polluere = to make unclean, to soil.) To make foul or unclean.

Pores (porz). (L. porus = a way, a passage.) Small openings in the skin to help in breathing.

Prey (prā). (L. prÆda = property taken in war.) An animal in the chase; game.

Prolific (prō-lif'-ik). Fruitful; producing young in abundance.

Propel (prō-pel'). (L. propellere = to drive, or push forward.) To urge onward by force.

Prophet (prof'-et). One who tells of the future.

Pulvillus (pul-vil'-us); pl. Pulvilli. (L. = a little cushion.) A little pad or cushion on an insect's foot.

Ravenous (rav'-n-us). Greedy, furiously hungry.

Repel (re-pel'). (L. repellere = to drive back.) To drive back, to check.

Resinous (rez'-i-nus). Like resin, which is made from pine pitch.

Rudimentary (rew-di-men'-ta-ri). (L. rudimentum = a first attempt.) Imperfectly developed or in an early stage of development.

Saliva (sa-lī'-va). Spittle. The liquid formed in the mouth, which mixes with food, and helps it to digest.

Segment (seg'-ment). (L. secare = to cut.) A part cut off, a section.

Seize (sēz). To grasp, to clutch.

Sensitive (sen'-si-tiv). Quick to feel. The nerve of the eye is sensitive to light, quick to feel light.

Shellac (she-lak' or shel-ak'). It is made from a coloring matter in the bodies of certain insects. A polish which is used with varnish.

Silk (sīlk). A fine, soft, strong thread made by the larvÆ of certain insects.

Skeleton (skel'-e-ton). (Gr. = dried up.) The dry bones of the body taken together.

Socket (sok'-et). Any hollow thing or place which receives or holds something else.

Soothsayer (sÖth'-sā-er). One who pretends to know what the future holds for us.

Source (sōrs). The place where anything begins.

Species (spē'-shez). A group of closely related animals or plants.

Spine (spīn). (L. spina = a thorn). Anything sharp and slender like a thorn.

Spiracle (spir'-or spīr-a-kl). (L. spiraculum = a breathing hole). An air-hole.

Survivals (ser-vī'-valz). (L. supervivo = to live over.) Those outliving the larger number.

Swammerdam, Johannes. A Dutch entomologist, born in Amsterdam in 1637. He published several books on the natural history of insects.

Syringe (sir'-inj). (Gr. = a pipe or reed.) A little instrument for drawing in water, and forcing it out again.

Tarsus (tar'-sus); pl. Tarsi. (Gr. = the sole of the foot.) The little segments that make up the insect's foot. Also the little bones of the instep.

Telescope (tel'-e-skōp). (Gr. = to view afar off.) An instrument by which distant objects are made to appear nearer and larger.

Thorax (thō'-rax). (Gr. = armor for the breast.) That part of the body of animals between the head and the abdomen.

Thysanura (this-a-nū'-ra). (Gr. = tassel and tail.) An insect order to which belong the scale fishes.

Tibia (tib'-i-a). (L. tibia = a slender pipe, a musical instrument.) A long, slender bone in the leg, below the knee. The fourth segment in an insect's leg, generally long and slender.

Transformation (trans-for-ma'-shon). (L. transformare = to change the shape of.) A change in form or nature.

Transparent (trans-par'-ent). (L. trans-parere = to appear through.) Easily seen through.

Transportation (trans-por-ta'-shon). (L. trans-portare = to carry over.) Carrying from one place to another.

Tremendous (tre-men'-dus). (L. tremendus = fearful, from tremere, to tremble.) Very wonderful, astounding.

Trichoptera (trī-kop'-te-ra). (Gr. = hairy-wing.) An insect order to which belong the caddis flies.

Trochanter (tro-kan'-ter). (Gr. = the ball on which the hip bone turns in its socket.) The second segment of an insect's leg.

Unlock (un-lok'). To unfasten something that has been closed.

Unsubstantial (un-sub-stan'-shal). Not real or solid, without substance.

Vacated (vā'-kat-ed). (L. vacare = to be empty or vacant.) Emptied; possession given up.

Vegetation (vej-e-tā'-shon). (L. vegetare = to quicken.) Living plants.

Veined (vānd). (L. vena = a vein.) Marked as with veins, streaked.

Vibrate(vī'-brāt). (L. vibratus = set in motion.) To swing; move to and fro.

Vibration (vī-brā'-shon). Motions back and forth. Vibrations may be too small for us to see.

Victimized (vik'-tim-īzd). Made a victim of, deceived, badly treated.

Voracious (vō-rā'-shus). (L. vorax = devouring greedily.) Eating food in large quantities.