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intelligence I Surely the creator may have suitably en- 

 dowed the insect that perishes, for all its corporeal 

 necessities, without conferring on it the nobler boons 

 of sensation, memory, imagination, and judgment ; nor 

 need we impose on ourselves the necessity of maintaining 

 as often as a beetle runs across our path, that he fol- 

 lows this or that course Intentionally, or that when 

 our heedless footstep tramples upon his osteology, it is 

 at the expense of as much suffering as "as when a giant 

 dies !" 



But it happens that among the many marvels recorded 

 and perpetually reproduced, about the wonders of insect 

 life, there are some, to explain which, without the admis- 

 sion, not only of intelligence, but of inherent intelligence, 

 would be nearly impossible, if they be authentic. Inter- 

 communication between insects of ihe same species which has 

 been seriously asserted by sorno imaginative writers, did 

 it really exist, could not be explained but by the admission 

 of the innate intelligence of the creature endowed with it. 

 Now, what a blessing it would be to it, and to us, if the 

 common //?/ could be quoted in proof of so excellent a gift ! 

 for flies to be able to impart their mutual experience 

 would save many of their lives, and make us much more 

 comfortable ; and it would be enough to make a snatch 

 or two at a handful, or having chastised a few scores by 

 diligent flapping, which must be attended with abundant 

 loss of life and limb, permit the survivors to exhibit 

 themselves, like Djezzar Pacha's patients, dismissed with 

 loss of nose or ear, or some other ingenious mutilation 

 to encourage others. But a fly never takes warning in that 

 community capital punishments never succeed ! It may 

 also, I fear, be safely concluded that butterflies hold no 

 intercourse with one another ! a score of papilionaceous 

 beaux may be seen besetting a female of their species, 

 pinned to a card, of whose durance they appear to be far 

 from having any adequate notion. With ants indeed, the 



