400 THE LIFE OF AN INSECT. 



performed without pain, was employed; and it 

 was remarkable to notice how quickly the insects 

 were overpowered with the vapour of this potent 

 liquid, In no instance was death produced by 

 the gases or vapours employed. Wishing to 

 destroy without pain a beautiful specimen of a 

 goat-moth, it was first stupified with the gas, then 

 transfixed with a pin, and again plunged in an 

 atmosphere of gas all night long ; but alas ! for 

 the unhappy insect, the morning dawned, and it 

 was yet alive. 



In these simple experiments, which were repeated 

 sufficiently often to render the results certain, we 

 have a most interesting proof that insects breathe. 

 The first struggles and apparent intoxication can 

 be compared to nothing more exactly than to the 

 same phenomena when they take place in human 

 beings breathing the vapours of ether, or chloro- 

 form. The subsequent state of insensibility was 

 precisely similar to that induced in persons who 

 are put under the influence of these vapours. 

 An amusing instance of the restorative powers 

 of fresh air occurred in the course of these experi- 

 ments. A blue-bottle, which was purposely se- 

 lected of as large a species as could be found, was 



