as 



is afterwards ejected into the honey-comb ; while 

 in the latter is formed the wax, which, exuding 

 through the rings on the fore part of the body, 

 becomes collected in a depression on the thighs ; 

 the venom apparatus is analogous, both in its 

 situation and structure, to that of the scorpion. 

 In other insects, the several parts of the diges- 

 tive apparatus are little more than a repetition of 

 these ; but I must not omit to remark that, all 

 these parts are, in general, smaller and less com- 

 plicated in the carnivorous than in the herbivor- 

 ous tribes, apparently from the matters on which 

 the former subsist being already animalyzed, arid 

 requiring, therefore, less preparation before they 

 are received into the blood. It is worthy of at- 

 tention also, that, while the insect is in a state 

 of larva or caterpillar, the stomach is much larger 

 than it is afterwards, most probably because a 

 greater supply of nourishment is now required 

 for its full development. In this state, accord- 

 ingly, they are very voracious, and their digestion 

 is proportionally quick ; it having been com- 

 puted that they sometimes devour and digest no 

 less than three times their own weight of aliment 

 in four and twenty hours ! On the other hand, 

 during the subsequent metamorphoses which the 

 animal undergoes, no food is taken ; but nature 

 has beautifully provided against any necessity 

 for this, by causing insects to become very fat, 

 as observed by Malpighi, on the approach of 

 these changes, so that this fat being absorbed 



