72 INTRODUCTION TO 



against cold and other atmospheric influences, con- 

 gists of a coating of varnish, hair or down stripped 

 from the hody of the insect, leaves drawn carefully 

 around them, or a covering of frothy matter. The 

 female coccus converts her whole body into a cover- 

 ing for her eggs, enveloping them closely on every 

 side ; the great water-beetle (Hydrophilm piceus) 

 deposits them in a hag, and carries them at the ex- 

 tremity of her abdomen, like the spider commonly 

 observed under stones, (ILycosa, saccata.) In form, 

 colour, sculpture, &c., they vary infinitely in different 

 tribes ; some of them we have already described and 

 figured, and it will be more satisfactory to notice 

 the peculiarities of others in connection with the par- 

 ticular history of the insects that produce them, than 

 to introduce here a lengthened general account of 

 objects so dissimilar. 



The number of eggs laid by different species, is as 

 various as their properties. At one extremity of the 

 scale they approach the vertebrated races, at the other 

 they surpass all other animals in the creation. Thus 

 a pretty large fly, which may frequently be observed 

 resting on the stems of trees, (Mesembrina meridiana) 

 lays only two eggs, while the female white ant lays 

 probably not fewer than forty or fifty millions in a 

 year, extruding them, when in the act, at the rate of 

 sixty in a minute ! Of such as are intermediate be- 

 tween these two extremes, the numbers are, of course, 

 very various ; but it may be affirmed that insects are 

 in general much less prolific than fishes. Among 

 the latter, a million occurs occasionally, and half that 



