66 THE LIFE OF AN INSECT. 



charged with sap long before the young insect 

 being that is to be fed therewith has left the 

 shelter of the egg. 



One of the talented authors of the Introduction 

 to Entomology relates a pleasing anecdote in re- 

 ference to this simple, yet admirable arrangement, 

 and mutual adjustment of these two events, the 

 awakening of life in the plant and in the insect. 

 "On the 20th of February, 1816, observing the 

 twigs of the birches in the Hull Botanic Garden 

 to be thickly set, especially about the buds, with 

 minute oval black eggs of some insect with which 

 I was unacquainted, I brought home a small 

 branch, and set it in my study, in which is a fire 

 daily, to watch their exclusion. On the 28th of 

 March I observed that a numerous brood of 

 aphides had been hatched from them, and that two 

 or three of the lower buds had expanded into 

 leaves, upon the sap of which they were greedily 

 feasting. This was full a month before either a 

 leaf of the birch appeared, or the egg of an aphis 

 was disclosed in the open air." Thus showing that 

 the coming to life of the branch and of the insects 

 resting on it, was beautifully arranged to take 

 place each at the proper time. 



