IO6 Natural TJieology. 



animal other than as a special and most perfect in- 

 strument for bloodletting. 



The voracious gnat that robs our veins does it 

 by an instrument fine as a hair, but certainly won- 

 derfully fitted for its work. 



The proboscis of the bee is just the instrument 

 needed for extracting honey from the flower. Her 

 sting, with its bag of poison, cannot be improved 

 upon as a means of defence. 



The spinneret of the spider little bags perforat- 

 ed with a multitude of holes is perfect as an instru- 

 ment ; and the material from which this delicate 

 thread is spun, is beyond all human power to 

 equal. With this curious magazine of material, 

 ever ready to be drawn into silken cords, one species 

 suspends himself in air, swings from wall to wall, 

 and spreads his net for his insect prey ; another 

 lines his dwelling with softest tissue ; and yet an- 

 other fashions diving-bells that defy the action of 

 the water. The main design of the instrument is 

 the same, but the work is varied according to the 

 instinct of each species. The nature of the sub- 

 stance is somewhat varied too, undoubtedly ; but 

 the spinneret and silk-producing fluid, both adapt- 

 ed to each other, appear in every case a special 

 adaptation to the creature's wants. And when the 

 spider has twisted his hundreds of threads together, 

 man still seeks for this cable for the cross-lines of 

 his telescope, because he can spin no single thread 

 as fine. The silk-worm is provided with a similar 

 material from which it spins its cocoon, a temporary 



