124 HIDDEN BEAUTIES OF NATURE 



others spherical. Some eggs are like Grecian water- 

 bottles, others have crowns on the top. Some have 

 rims, grooves, and projecting points of ornamentation. 

 In some the lines around the exterior entwine in 

 beautiful order, in others lines and flutings prevail, as 

 if they had just come from the hands of a skilful 

 engraver. A fine lace covering envelopes the surfaces 

 of several insects' eggs. Many are tinted and 

 coloured, while others display an iridescence surpassing 

 that of the ear-shell, haliotis. Even the eggs of the 

 parasites of birds are more splendid than the eggs of 

 the birds themselves. 



In support of this statement the reader may be 

 referred to Science Gossip, or to the recent edition of 

 The Microscope and its Revelations, by Dr. Carpenter, 

 revised by Dr. Dallinger. It will at once be apparent 

 that such eggs as are figured, especially those in Science 

 Gossip, possess a very high degree of beauty. Micro- 

 scopic objects, such as eggs of insects, many of which 

 range between the fiftieth and the hundredth part of 

 an inch in diameter, cannot appear, either to our 

 judgment or to unassisted vision, to possess any surface 

 on which it is possible to display any ornamentation. 



If superficial space be allowed, we can understand 

 the presence and the possibility of decorative beauty ; 

 but when objects are so small that several of them, if 

 tied together, would readily fall through the eye of a 

 fine needle, we are naturally astonished and puzzled 

 to find them ornamentally embossed and beautified in 

 the highest degree. 



