( cxliii ) 



the present life as manifested in the habits they display, 

 the past life as shown in the structure moulded by their 

 ancestral vicissitudes ; and it is the view of their life in this 

 twofold aspect that enables us best to appreciate the marvel- 

 lous variety in form, and splendour in colour, of the objects 

 that adorn our cabinets— decorative corpses, alas, as we see 

 them there. 



Void of the little living will 

 That made [them] stir .... 



— in their hour. 



I hope the time may arrive when our books, if the scale 

 and plan on which they are designed allow sufficient space, 

 will give us, besides the structural details which show the 

 systematic place that the insects under desci'iption occupy, 

 particulars of all their actions of a distinctive kind as living 

 things, not confined to such as are known to lead to self- 

 preservation or race preservation ; a statement also of the 

 enemies that assail them and lessen their numbers, and of all 

 factors of a noteworthy character that enter into the great 

 gift which invests them with an interest far transcending all 

 that belongs to the choicest products of inanimate nature, the 

 gift which, however differing in its manifestations, they share 

 in full measure with our lordly selves — their life. 



A remarkably interesting and detailed account of predaceous 

 insects and their prey, by Prof. Poulton in Parts III and IV 

 of the Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1906, unfortunately appeared 

 too late to be noticed in this address. Particulars are there 

 given of several hundred cases, the chief destroyers being 

 Diptera, especially Asilidse and Empidfe. Insects specially 

 protected by stings, nauseousness, etc., from many enemies 

 seem to find little protection from attacks by other insects. 



