240 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 



are to be found every where ; in the air, the 

 earth, and the water, and upon the trees, the 

 bushes, and the grass. 



I am sure it will give you pleasure to recog- 

 nize the little friends with whom I have made 

 you acquainted ; to see the caterpillar casting 

 its skin, or weaving its cocoon, and the butter- 

 fly bursting its cell and mounting into the air, 

 as if rejoicing in its freedom ; the spider spin- 

 ning its curious web ; the winged ants taking 

 their first flight in the air, and then dropping 

 their wings upon the ground, and the patient 

 little laborers clearing out the earth from their 

 under-ground galleries, or laying in their stores 

 of provision ; the hive-bee loading itself with 

 pollen ; the upholsterer clipping out the pieces 

 of leaf with which to form the cells of her un- 

 der-ground nest, and the laborious little carpen- 

 ter cutting her way into the wood ; the wasp 

 collecting her bundle of sticks ; the aphides 

 sucking the juices of the plant, or living securely 

 in their curious little dwellings upon the leaves ; 

 and even the musqueto in its dangerous passage 

 to land ; all will seem to you like familiar ac- 

 quaintances, and will have a claim upon your 

 kindly notice. 



