5S 



led, for only once or twice since has it 

 made its appearance in this country in any 

 quantity. But we are at a loss to guess 

 how it can occur, that for " many years 

 " we do not see these creatures, and all at 

 *' once we have them so plentiful that 

 " their numbers become thus truly alarm- 

 " ing." A gentleman of Ciielsea, has in- 

 formed me, that he once took a nest of 

 moths and bred them, that some of the 

 eggs came the first year, some the second, 

 and others of the same nest did not hatch 

 till the third season. Now if the eggs of 

 insects are preserved thus for three years, 

 a chrysalis for seven, and a living insect 

 makes its appearance from a deal board, 

 where it must have lain upwards of forty 

 years, why should we fix any limits to the 

 period of their vitality in any of their dor- 

 mant stages of existence. We must there- 

 fore rest contented with such objects 

 as we can see, and be thankful to al- 

 mighty Providence, for the use of them 

 during our transitory residence in this life, 

 the secrets of nature's operations are some 

 of them too deep for human foresight. 



D S 



