LETTER XXI. 



MEANS BY WHICH INSECTS DEFEND 

 THEMSEL VES. 



When a country is particularly open to attack, or sur- 

 rounded by numerous enemies, who from cupidity or 

 hostile feelings are disposed to annoy it, we are usually 

 led to inquire what are its means oi defence ? whether 

 natural, or arising from the number, courage, or skill 

 of its inhabitants. The insect tribes constitute such a 

 nation : with them infinite hosts of enemies wage con- 

 tinual war, many of whom derive the whole of their 

 subsistence from them : and amongst their own tribes 

 there are numerous civil broils, the strong often prey- 

 ing upon the weak, and the cunning upon the simple : 

 so that unless a watchful Providence (which cares for 

 all its creatures, even the most insignificant,) had sup- 

 plied them with some mode of resistance or escape, this 

 innumerable race must soon be extirpated. That such 

 is the case, it shall be my endeavour in this letter to 

 prove ; in which I shall detail to you some of the most 

 remarkable means of defence with which they are pro- 

 vided. For the sake of distinctness I shall consider 

 these under two separate heads, into which indeed they 

 naturally divide themselves. Passive means of defence, 

 such as are independent of any efforts of the insect ; 

 and active means of defence, such as result from certain 



