422 PRESERVATION OF INSECTS. 



vour to trace tliem to their causes, has every chance to 

 be successful in adding to his own knowledge, and fre- 

 quently in making discoveries of what was previously un- 

 known. AVe have before adverted to the spider, which M. 

 Pelissan, w4iile a prisoner in the Bastille, tamed by means 

 of music ;* and in another place we quoted some observa- 

 tions on hunting-spiders, by the celebrated Evelyn, both of 

 which are strong proofs of our position, and show that 

 though books are often of high value to guide us in our 

 observations, they are by no means indispensable to the 

 study of nature, inasmuch as the varied scene of creation 

 itself forms an inexhaustible book, which " even he who 

 runneth may read." It shall be our endeavour, therefore, 

 in what ^^'e shall now add, to point out a few particulars 

 by w^a}^ of assisting young naturalists to read the book of 

 nature with the most advantage. It wall be of the utmost 

 importance, in the study here recommended, to bear in 

 mind that an insect can never be found in any situation, 

 nor make any movement, wdthout some inotive, originating 

 in the instinct imparted to it by Providence. This principle 

 alone, when it is made the basis of inquiry into such motives 

 or instincts, will be found productive of many interesting 

 discoveries, which, without it, might never be made. With 

 this, indeed, exclusively in view, during an excursion, and 

 with a little attention and perseverance, every walk — nay, 

 ever}^ step — may lead to delightful and interesting know- 

 ledge. 



In accordance with these views, w'e advise the young 

 naturalist to watch as far as possible the progress of every 

 insect which he may meet with, from the egg till its death, 

 marking its peculiar food, the enemies which prey on it, 

 and the various accidents or diseases to which it may be 

 liable, — the latter appearing, to our limited comprehension, 

 to be some of the means appointed by Providence to restrain 

 excessive multiplication. It is obvious that all this may 

 be done (it actually has been done by an illiterate labourer 

 at Blackheath) without knowing the name of the insect 



* See Antoine, Animaiix Celebres, vol. i. p. 24. 



