Mr. Marsh am 1 's further Obfervatkns on the Wheat Infecl. 229 



ing to the pupa ftate, as the maggot becomes more white and opake, 

 and is evidently ftirunk in length. Another circum (lance men- 

 tioned by the accurate De Geer, that unites them (till more clofely,, 

 and confirms my conjeaure of the two fexes, is the difference 

 between male and female; for he fays,F*;w/W ala mgncantes, agree- 

 ing with the clouded wings in our figure, and at the fara« time 

 confirming Mr. Kirby's defcription of his. In fhort, fo nearly are- 

 thefe infers allied, that I fhould have little hefitationto pronounce 

 them the fame, had they not fed on plants fo very different 

 in their nature and properties. The Ichneumon Tifula of Mr. Kirby 

 has been fo fully obferved by all parties, that it requires nothing to 

 be added here. I can only now obferve, that the difficulty of m- 

 veftigating and fully exploring the fecret works of the Creator 

 mufi be my apology for ftill offering imperfeft hints inftead of a 

 complete hiftory, but I have done fo with a view to excite other 

 labourers to favour us with their communications and experiments ; 

 for to ufe the words of my valuable friend Kirby, " If we can ad- 

 vance one ftep, it k fomething; and who can entirely remove the 

 awful veil that conceals from mortal eyes the full beauty of the face 

 of Nature, that envelopes in darknefs her fecret operations r To get 

 now and then a glimpfe of the footfteps of him who is « wonder- 

 ful in working' is all that we can expeft.' The united force of 

 fuch obfervations, like rays colle&ed by a lens, which, although 

 when feparate they operate but tlightly either as light or fire will 

 in time illuminate a fubjeft, and make us fee clearly m what dark- 

 nefs we were before. To collcft thefe feparate rays is the office ot 

 the Unncean Society, by whofe means the light which each 

 conveys is caught ere it be diffipated, and thus many myftenes ot 

 Nature are elucidated, which otherwife might for ever have re- 

 mained in ©bfcurity J* 



XX. Bfc 



