Packard ] 



IlSrSECTS OF THE GARDEN. 



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After all the insects interest us most when we study their 

 psj'cholog}' and habits. From what little Ave know of their 

 l)S3'chic'al endowments, we see enough to convince us that 

 as physicalh' they occupy a middle ground between ourselves 

 and the lowest and simplest of animals, so in their instincts 

 they seem to maintain a corresponding relation. Tliey have, 

 what is the common property of all animals, enough intelli- 

 gence to meet the exigencies of life. They possess apparently 

 like passions with ourselves, so much so that we find our- 

 selves unconsciously judging of their actions by our own 

 feelings. Hence to our senses they hate and love, show fear 

 and revenge, enjoy their moments of repose from toil, engage 

 in sports, cany on wars, live a hermit life or are gathered 

 into commonwealths, and are capable, individually, of some 

 degree of education. 



All this great diversity among insects in form and accom- 

 panying adaptation of instinct and reason are subservient to 

 the part these animals are 

 to play in natiu'c. There 

 are no neutral, non-com- 

 mittal characters among 

 insects. The agriculturist 

 classifies them into two 

 categories, the friends and 

 foes of his crops — accord- 

 ing .13 Ihcy arc carnivorous 

 cr herbivorous ; and it i.> 

 necessary for him to di:> 

 tinguish carefully between 

 them. This is often a diflicult matter, for as we descend in 

 the scale of animal life we find those broad lines of demarca- 

 tion which separate animals of different habits growing less 

 distinct. In some tribes which resemljle each otlier so closely 

 that only educated eyes can distinguish them, we have spe- 

 cies of totally different habits. Thus the Hessian fly (Fig. 3) 



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Fig. 3. 



llcssiaa I'ly : a, larva; b, pupa. 



