40 INSECT TRANSFORMATIONS. 



to the wax of the ears, and in form of granules which 

 are even externally apparent.* 



We are accustomed to consider the form of eggs so 

 nearly regular, that the epithet c egg-shaped' is fre- 

 quently applied to other things, and is well understood; 

 but the eggs of insects, though most commonly round, 

 are seldom, like those of birds, smaller at one end 

 than at the other, while they often exhibit forms never 

 seen in the eggs of birds, such as cylindric, flat, 

 depressed, compressed, prismatic, angular, square, 

 boat-shaped^ &c. These varieties of form are just- 

 ly referred by Kirby and Spence to the c manifold wis- 

 dom' (7roAo7ro<x/Ao; ffo0**)J ofthe Creator; but we have 

 some hesitation in admitting their limitation of this to 

 his ' will to vary forms, and so to glorify his wisdom, 

 and power independently of other considerations,'^ 

 and think it would be more truly philosophic to con- 

 fess our ignorance where we cannot explain what is 

 above our comprehension. Paley, indeed, says, such 

 facts c might induce us to believe that variety itself, 

 distinct from every other consideration, was a motive 

 in the mind of the Creator, or with the agents of his 

 will;' but he immediately adds, ' to this great variety 

 in organized life the Deity has given, or perhaps there 

 arises out of it, a corresponding variety of animal ap- 

 petites, and did all animals covet the same element, 

 retreat, or food, it is evident how much fewer could be 

 supplied and accommodated, than what at present live 

 conveniently together, and find a plentiful subsistence. '|| 

 The latter remark, we think, completely destroys the 

 former, and it will lead us to what appears to be 



* J. R. 



t Dumeril, Consider. G^ru rales, p. 49; and Insect Archi- 

 tecture, p. 19. 



t Ephes. iii, 10. Introd. iii, p. 95. 



H Natural Theology, p. 345, 14th ed. 



