ON INSECTS AND MARINE ANIMALS. 99 



mixed with cochineal, makes so fine a scarlet 

 that it is said to have saved the East India Com- 

 pany 14,OOOZ. a-jear in the purchase of scarlet 

 cloth for the army. 



The quantity of wax made by bees is enor- 

 mous. In Spain alone, one single parish priest 

 is said to have had five thousand hives. In 

 Russia many peasants have four or five hundred 

 bee-hives, and make more profit of their bees 

 than of their corn. Since the introduction of 

 sugar, honey has lost much of its importance, 

 but still it is of great value in this country. 



I have now endeavoured to point out to you 

 some of the benefits which are derived from in- 

 sects, and the knowledge of this cannot, I hope, 

 have failed to impress on your minds the won- 

 derful love of the Great Creator, who has 

 formed everything for some good and wise pur- 

 pose, and has been alike attentive to the comfort 

 and well-being of the meanest insect, as well as 

 to that of the highest of His creatures. In fact, 

 if we examine through a microscope the smallest 

 insect, we shall find them possessed of the power 

 of seeing, smelling, tasting (for they have p. 

 tongue), and hearing. This last faculty is 



