77 . . 



look narrowly into the circulation of their blood, we 

 shall perceive its continuance with the same regularity 

 in all those parts which have beeu separated from the 

 jest by cutting. 



These worms bring us to treat of insects. 



14. Here we are introduced into a kingdom of ani- 

 mals, the most extensive and diversified of any on the 

 surface of the globe. That province of this vast empire 

 which is seen on the surface of vegetables, is sufficient ef 

 itself to attract the curiosity of a traveller, either from 

 the prodigious number of its inhabitants, or the singula- 

 rity and diversity of their forms. 



These are pigmies, the greatest part of which are so 

 minute, as not to be distinctly seen without the help of 

 a microscope : they bear the general name of insecfa* 

 and this name was given to them on account of the 

 incisions of various depths, by which the bodies of se- 

 veral of them are divided. 



i 



The . haracter which seems essentially to distinguish: 

 msects, from other animals is, that they have no bones. 

 'The analogous parts with which some species of them 

 are provided are placed on the outside of their bodies, 

 wliereas in other animals the bones are always ou 

 the inside. 



Life, in insects, docs not result from a mechanism as 

 compounded as in the animals of a larger size ; in 

 tht ai the number of different kinds of organs is smaller ; 

 -but some of these organs seem more multiplied. 



Considered in their exterior form, injects may be di- 

 Tided into two classes. The first comprehends insects 

 improperly so called, whose bocty is continued : these 

 bear the general name of worms. The second class 

 comprelu .ids insects properly so tenned, whose body is 

 divided by certain incisions or contractions. 

 E 2 



