THE APHIS. 63 



spontaneous generation theory is that the aphis in other 

 respects is an exception to the general law that governs the 

 lives of all other creatures. It is not necessary for the 

 aphis to have a father. The aphides that appear in spring 

 are all females, and the process of multiplication and re- 

 multiplication goes on with as much regularity as if the 

 male sex had no part whatever in the economy of the 

 world. It is only late in the autumn that the males appear, 

 and it is not until after pairing that the females take to laying 

 eggs, all the previous generations having been born alive. 

 It is clear that when treating of a creature so unique in its 

 habits and ways, the word " impossible " should never be 

 used even by men so absolutely sure of what they assert as 

 are scientific men. It is well, indeed, for man that the six 

 thousand million possible descendants from each spring 

 aphis do not put in their appearance. Happily nature, 

 while in a moment of light-heartedness producing creatures 

 possessed of such extraordinary powers of multiplication, and 

 of no visible place or advantage in the general scheme of 

 creation, thought proper to furnish them with a vast number 

 of foes, whose life should be spent in ceaseless efforts to 

 counteract the effects of this fertility. Chief among these 

 stands the ladybird, but there are numerous others almost 

 as indefatigable and voracious, even without counting man, 

 with his tobacco juice, soap-suds, and fumigating apparatus. 

 Nature has handed over the aphis defenceless to its de- 

 stroyers. It possesses neither jaws nor sting ; it is unpro- 

 vided with armour, it cannot coil itself up like a wood louse, 

 or assume a threatening aspect like the Devil's Coach-horse. 

 It is simply a helpless and unresisting victim, whose destiny 

 is to do as much damage as it can to vegetation, and then 



