London Insects. 157 



rities at Kew, " belongs to an obscure set of organisms 

 known as Rhizomorpha. They are not fully-developed 

 vegetable structures, but are really the mycelial por- 

 tions of large fungi grown under peculiar conditions. 

 In process of time," he adds, " the structure would 

 develop on the exterior of the tree as a large Poly- 

 porus, a sort of woody fungus. The existence of 

 such a growth under the bark is the tree's death 

 warrant." 



When one sees the chain of destruction spreading 

 in every direction through the insect world, as every- 

 where else, the less one thinks of the " Mystery of 

 Pain" the subject of one of Canon Kingsley's best 

 sermons in Westminster Abbey the better for one's 

 peace of mind. But it is some relief to know, even at 

 the cost of loss of faith in the infallibility of an idol, 

 that microscopic anatomy shows that Shakespeare 

 was altogether wrong when he said that 



" The poor Beetle that we tread on 



In corporal sufferance feels a pang as great 

 As when a giant dies." 



If it were the case, no Londoner possessing ordinary 

 feelings and a tame Hedge-hog would be able to sleep 

 a wink for thought of the wholesale tortures of which 

 his kitchen would be every night the scene. The 

 services of the Hedge-hog in keeping within bounds 

 the rather disgusting flabby Onhoptera familiarly 

 known to cooks and housemaids as ' Black-beetles," 

 but not in the true sense of the word " Beetles " at 

 all cannot, sentiment notwithstanding, be spoken of 

 too highly. 



As a matter of fact, Beetles have extraordinary 

 tenacity of life, and apparently very little sense of 

 pain. A good little boy, who combined with a 



