ENTOMOLOGY. 116 



Birds, which frequent water, are not more 

 beautifully, nor more peculiarly organized for 

 that purpose, than those interesting insects which 

 inhabit, or undergo any of their charges in that 

 element. 



When we observe, that the foot of a strange 

 bird is webbed, we immediately conclude it is 

 intended to have the power of resorting to water ; 

 and, analogous to this provision, we find, that 

 those insects wliich are found in or upon water 

 have some of their legs flat or ciliated, for the 

 |)urpose of swimming or diving. 



• A division of insects into such as appertain 

 chiefly to land or to water, could not, I presume, 

 be so made as exactly to comprehend the whole 

 of any number of the linnean or modern orders, 

 but it would not, however, interfere with them. 

 We might, perhaps, safely denominate, as land 

 insects, all such as deposit their eggs in various 

 substances and places on dry land ; and as water 

 insects, all such as deposit their eggs in water or 

 marshy places. 



With the hope of drawing the attention of 

 some of our distinguished entomologists of 

 the present day to the subject, I would name 



p2 



