108 NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 



to be found in cabinets, even at the present day, 

 and the most obvious and satisfactory method of 

 making up this deficiency, is by coloured drawings 

 taken from living specimens. The desire of supplying 

 this important desideratum, in regard to some of the 

 more remarkable insects of America, as well as of 

 determining the nature of their metamorphosis and 

 kind of food, had more influence in leading Madame 

 Merian to visit this country, than her wish to delineate 

 the perfect insects, many of which were already well 

 known in Europe from the preserved specimens. 



She accordingly set sail for America in the year 

 1699, accompanied by one of her daughters. The 

 place of her destination was Dutch Guiana, often 

 called Surinam, from a river of that name, on which 

 the capital, Paramaribo, is situated, and lying between 

 the fourth and sixth degrees of north latitude. In 

 this fruitful region, her ardent curiosity found ample 

 means of gratification, and she remained nearly two 

 years, diligently employed in collecting and painting 

 insects. She returned to Europe, and gave those 

 splendid paintings to the public in 1705, in a work 

 entitled " Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamenisum, 

 etc., the text drawn up by Gaspar Commeliu, from 

 the manuscripts of the author." 



This heroic and industrious female naturalist, who 

 has contributed so much to the improvement and 



