BOOK OF NATURE LA.lt> OPftN. 83 



But tliis is not all, the very circumstances adduced 

 as marks of imperfection in the insect tribes, viz. 

 their being enabled to live for some time after being 

 deprived of those organs necessary to life in the 

 higher ranks, and their amazing numbers, ought ra- 

 ther to be considered as arguments to the contrary. 



The former is no doubt essentially necessary to 

 the preservation of a species exposed to so many ca- 

 sualties, as those in particular who live on blood, 

 and cannot, therefore, partake of a meal, without giv- 

 ing their enemies notice of their presence ; and the 

 latter, to prevent the extinction of a short-lived race, 

 which come into existence at a time when there are 

 so many open mouths ready to devour them. 



Without these two characteristic distinctions of the 

 insect tribes, although they may be deemed imper- 

 fections by the more imperfect powers of short sight- 

 ed mortals, it is probable that long ere now some of 

 those exquisite pieces of Nature's workmanship must 

 have disappeared from the creation, and for want of 

 those connecting links, the whole beautiful fabric of 

 the universe must have fallen to decay ; for, trifling 

 as some of those minute or imperceptible objects 

 may appear, the language of philosophy is: 



- " Each crawling insect holds a rank 

 Important in the plan of HIM who frarn'd 

 This scale of heings ; holds a rank, which lont, 

 Would break the chain, and leave a gap 

 That Nature's self would rue." 



Instead, therefore, of having the presumption to 

 stigmatize, in the most remote degree, this particular 



