Origin of Insects

Abstract

IN NATURE of December 7, 1871, there is an interesting letter from Mr. B. T. Lowne, on the Origin of Insects, in which the writer refers to Fritz Müller's “Facts for Darwin” in favour of the opinion that “the larval forms of insects are probably derived from imaginal” or perfect forms. I have not at present any opinion to offer on this subject; but, though I estimate very highly indeed the light which Fritz Müller has thrown on the Crustacea, I think nothing can be more unsatisfactory than his remarks on insects. He concludes that the earliest insects resembled the wingless Blattidæ, overlooking, what is obvious enough, that any theory of the origin of insects ought to account for, or at least show the origin of, those most characteristic organs of the class, the wings. I quite agree with Mr. Lowne that “it is extremely probable that insects first emerged from the water with fully-formed wings.” I think it scarcely possible to doubt that the wings were originally organs of aquatic respiration. But this does not answer the question of the origin of insect metamorphoses, which, though an evolutionist, I think one of the greatest difficulties of the theory of evolution; it does not answer the question whether the perfect forms with wings and legs have been derived from the larval forms without either, or the converse.