ENTOMOLOGY. 219 



fascinating as well as exceedingly useful studies to which we can 

 give our attention ; and of all persons most interested, and who may 

 be benefitted by it, are the farmers of our country. Their habits 

 and business of life give them enviable opportunities to enjoy the 

 exhibitions of beauty and wonder of this department of living na- 

 ture. They are constantly surrounded by teeming myriads of the 

 insect tribes; and if they become familiar with the habits, natures 

 and transformations of these swarms and armies of living creatures, 

 pleasure and profit must be their reward. 



For us to remain ignorant of this department of the handywork 

 ot infinite power and wisdon, is inexcusable. They were not created 

 in vain, but for definite uses and purposes. Whilst some are ap- 

 parently predatory, others are of great use to us, and defensive of 

 ouv interests. It would be impious in us to denounce them as loath- 

 scine and useless ; for omniscience brought them into being, and it 

 IS for us to study their uses, and not despise, condemn and destroy 

 ihem. 

 y It is true, many kinds are destructive to our property, and in self 

 defence we destroy them ; for man will act selfishly even with a 

 worm. But whilst we thus view and tread upon the mischievous 

 worm for intruding upon our pretendedly exclusive rights, we must 

 lot forget that man also trespasses against the rights of his fellow 

 nan. 



Not only will pleasure and profit result from this study, but moral 

 nstruction can be drawn from the exhibition of v/isdom and power 

 IS displayed by the great author of all things, in establishing the 

 aws and order that govern and regulate the changes and transfor- 

 nations that are juanifested and undergone. 



It is not with indifference that we can witness the changes from 

 he lifeless egg to the living crawling larva ; from tiiis to the dormant 

 urelia ; and from this to the gay and splendid butterfly, gilded with 

 ts golden tinges, mounting upon its gaudy wings, triumphant over 

 he creeping things of earth, flitting from flower to flower, and sip- 

 )ing the sweets gathered in their cups and upon their leaves. It 

 (ecomes entirely changed in nature and habits, in form and appear- 

 Jice, from eating the crude leaf, to suckuig the honied luxuries of 

 he lilac and rose. 



Not only do we draw moral, but high religious instruction from 

 his source. A type, a shadowing of a change from grovelling hu- 



VOL. II. — NO. II. F 



