MEANING OF THE WORD (t PUPA." 215 



said upon a period of the insect's life which is only 

 comparable to a prolonged sleep. But entomolo- 

 gical science is too rich in interesting matters 

 upon every subject to admit this conclusion, and 

 we shall find that there is much to be narrated 

 which equally, with what has formerly been 

 written, is calculated to raise our admiration to 

 the Great and Beneficent Author of all Nature. 



If we turn to a Latin Dictionary and hunt out 

 the word which stands at the head of this chapter, 

 Pupa, we shall find several definitions of it given; 

 for example, a little girl, a doll> and a baby. What 

 have either of these to do with an insect? some 

 will exclaim, and they may feel disposed to con- 

 sider the great Linnaeus, who gave the insect 

 tribes while in this stage this title, to have been 

 not over happy in his selection of terms. But 

 those who thus exclaim have perhaps only seen 

 babies as they are clothed in England, possessing 

 the power and comfort of free movement, and 

 having their arms and legs at liberty. Between 

 the aspect of these little creatures and our insects 

 no one can trace any resemblance. But it is very 

 different on the continent ; there, out of the 

 strange notion that it will keep the poor little 



