ON INSECTS. 65 



a beautiful arrangement of Providence, or, 

 rather, I should say, of the Great Creator ; for 

 if these insects increased and multiplied in the 

 same proportion as bees, we should experience a 

 most unbearable nuisance. Bees, on the con- 

 trary, increase ; are confined in hives ; and are 

 most beneficial to mankind in producing wax and 

 honey. I had, however, almost forgotten to tell 

 you that there is a winged ant in South America 

 which builds a curious and beautiful nest in 

 trees. The cells of the combs are hexagonal, 

 like those of bees, and are stocked with honey, 

 which is both good and sweet. The cells are 

 much smaller than those of bees, and the whole 

 arrangement of them shows the most inter- 

 esting specimen I have seen of insect archi- 

 tecture. I have brought a piece of their comb 

 to show you. 



The large forests in South America would be 

 almost impassable, both for man and beast, if it 

 were not for the beetles. The trees which com- 

 pose them stand very thick, and as they and the 

 branches are constantly falling down, they are 

 quickly consumed by beetles, which abound in 

 these forests in incredible numbers. Ants also 

 assist in the destruction of the trees, so that the 



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