16 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 



know that animals, generally, have but two eyes, 

 andean only look in one direction at a. time; 

 but it is necessary that insects, in order that they 

 may be able to catch their prey, and make their 

 escape on the approach of danger, should see 

 in every direction at once, and they have been 

 accordingly provided, not with two single eyes, 

 but with a collection of eyes ; that is, their eyes 

 are furnished with a great number of little 

 lenses, through each of which they can see as 

 through a perfect eye, and by means of which 

 they are able to look in all directions, before, 

 behind, above, and below them, without being 

 obliged to turn their bodies. 



The butterfly has thirty-five thousand of these 

 lenses in its two eyes, which, when examined 

 through a microscope, appear like a diamond 

 beautifully cut on all sides. 



I have read of a naturalist, named Puget, who 

 took out the eye of a flea, and placing it in his 

 microscope, looked through the microscope, and 

 through the eye, at a soldier who was before 

 him ; but instead of seeing but one soldier, he 

 saw what appeared to be a whole army of little 

 soldiers, and the flame of a candle looked like 



