56 THE LIFE OF AN INSECT. 



differences between these, otherwise why such 

 immense differences in the perfect insect? Could 

 any one imagine that a grasshopper and a house- 

 fly, so strangely unlike each other in their perfect 

 forms, originated in eggs to either of which the 

 same description of an insect's egg would accu- 

 rately answer, and leave nothing out ? However 

 great our amazement, the fact is unquestionable. 

 The egg of every insect at first consists of an outer 

 covering, a white, a yolk, and the little spot we 

 have alluded to. We might have thought that in 

 creating so many different species of insects, which 

 differ so surprisingly in form as the insect tribes 

 do, the great Creator would have formed their 

 eggs essentially different too. But, except in the 

 matter of shape, all are originally alike ; and the 

 wisest philosopher is unable to inform us of any 

 essential difference in the eggs of insects at first. 

 The eye of God, who knows the end from the 

 beginning, sees some difference inappreciable to 

 the eye of man. He said to this kind, " Be thou 

 thus," and to that, " Be thou different ;" but until 

 the time comes when the young insect is much 

 more advanced, it is not possible for us to recog- 

 nise those marks of variety which His hand has 

 laid upon them from the beginning. 



