Animals. 231 



an active drug; the cochineal insect the 

 most brilliant of his dyes. Even where 

 they are totally beyond his control they 

 minister indirectly to his wants. Under 

 the form of eggs, maggots, grubs, cater- 

 pillars, aurelice, and flies, they furnish food 

 to innumerable creatures, who augment 

 his comforts in a thousand ways. But it is 

 as the scavengers of this universe that 

 these puny beings become chiefly saluta- 

 ry to man, and all animated nature. With-* 

 out their unceasing aid in this respect, 

 the air would become quickly tainted with 

 the most noxious effluvia, which would 

 soon put an end to animal existence. To 

 obviate this,the beneficentCreator hath de- 

 creed, that a numerous department of this 

 class of beings, while in their reptile state, 

 shall be unceasingly employed in searching 

 for and devouring every thing that has 

 once lived, and is now tending to decay. 

 Under this state of degradation these 

 creatures are doomed to labour for a time 

 with unceasing assiduity : and that no- 

 thing might divert their attention from 

 this important business, even for one 

 moment, the distinctions of sex are with- 

 held from them while in this state ; nor 



