Tipula Tfifia, and Ichneumon Tipulcz. 



*3S 



may feem at firft fight, might, if permitted to exceed its due limits, 

 deprive us of the ftafF of bread, and almoft occafion the deftru c >ion 

 of our fpecies ! The fuperftition of the Ancients, had they bcea 

 acquainted with the advantages which appear to be derived to man 

 through the inftrumentality of this important though minute link 

 in the chain of creation, would have erected altars to it, as to a 

 beneficent deity : Can we, who enjoy the clear light of revelation, 

 do lefs than adore and extol that goodnefs, which thus preferves a 

 due balance in his works, and fays to the deftroyer, Thus far ihalt 

 thou come, and no further* ? Indeed the numerous fpecies of the 

 genus Ichneumon feem to have been created on purpofe to keep 

 within due bounds the other tribes of infects. Any perfon who 

 has obferved the depredations committed in our gardens by the 

 caterpillar of the cabbage butterfly, may conjecture to what extent 

 they would be carried, were it not given in charge to the Ichneumon 

 of that infect to keep them within their afligned limits. In a 

 word, were it not for this philanthropic genus, we lhouJd not be 

 able to ftir, nor even breathe, without being annoyed, nay fuffocated 

 by myriads and myriads of troublefome animals, which are now 

 taught to know their proper bounds, and anfwer the ends for which 

 they were created. But why do I thus moralize to you, to whom 

 thefe reflections are perpetually recurring ? I ihall therefore return 

 to my hiftory. 4 



It is Angular, butmoft people who are acquainted with the larva 

 of the Ttpula Tritici miftake this friendly Ichneumon for its pa- 

 rent, and thus impute all the mifchief to the very creature which 



* Finis creationis telluris eft gloria Dei, ex opere nature per hominem folum. Lhm. 



Omnes res creatie funt divinve fapientue et potential teftes : divitiie felicitates humana*. 

 Ex harum ufu bonitas creatoris ; ex pulchredine fapientia Domini ; ex ceconomia in con- 

 fervatione, prcpertione, renovatione, potentia majeftatis elucet- Id. 



Hh 2 i s 



