208 INSECT MISCELLANIES. 



New Orleans, a distance of 300 mileSj for no other 

 purpose than to find people to talk with. In other 

 cases, however, the habit of feeding or of travelling 

 gregariously, does not produce a permanent influence; 

 for the sky-lark {Alcmda arvensis), and numerous 

 other birds which congregate in winter, separate at 

 the approach of the breeding season ; while rooks, 

 that breed in society, separate as soon as the young 

 can provide for themselves. The latter, however, is 

 perhaps peculiar to the rook ; for sea-birds, which 

 usually nestle together in great numbers, also con- 

 tinue to congregate all the year. 



It would appear, then, from these illustrations, that 

 animals generally congregate principally on account 

 of the nature of their food ; but it is also obvious, that 

 even the most unsocial must lay aside some portion 

 of their solitary habits during the breeding season, 

 otherwise their race would soon become extinct. The 

 proceedings of insects, in this respect, are so exceed- 

 ingly different from all other orders of animals, that 

 they will require to be exhibited in some detail. We 

 have headed this chapter by the word ' pairing ' as 

 the only unobjectionable term we could find ; yet if the 

 idea formed of this, from the habits of most birds, be 

 transferred to insects, it will require great modification 

 to render it applicable ; for we question whether any 

 species of insect can be said to pair in the manner of 

 linnets, sparrows, and other birds, upon the principle 

 of mutual assistance in rearing their progeny. Even 

 in the instance of birds, the male always shows less 

 solicitude in building the nest and feeding the young, 

 than the female, his chief ofiice appearing to be the 

 feeding of the female while she sits upon the eggs, or 

 the taking of her place while she procures food tor 

 herself 



Amongst insects, however, we are not aware of 

 any assistance ever rendered by the male in any of 



