108 FIRST LESSONS IN ZOOLOGY. 



nate them. Myriad as are their forms, every species has 

 slightly different habits and surroundings from its allies, 

 and thus fills a niche in the insect-world which it alone can 

 occupy. And it is this wonderful power of adaptation to 

 changes in circumstances, as well as their solid skins and 

 complete metamorphosis, which has enabled the great 

 beetle order of over 80,000 kinds to become so abundant 

 and prominent a group. They are preyed upon at different 

 times of life by different enemies. Worms, parasitic mites, 

 and birds and beasts constantly make war upon them, but 

 these enemies only reduce their numbers to healthy limits; 

 so that, after all the inroads made upon them, there are still 

 food enough and room enough for each kind to exist in its 

 own beetle-fashion in its own little beetle-world. 



