806 THE PHILOSOPHY 



Some have acquired an additional degree of coniiftence 5 

 others, on the contrary, are rendered finer and more deli- 

 cate. Some receive a new form, and others are entirely an- 

 nihilated. Laftly, fome organs in the perfect infedl, which 

 feemed formerly to have no exiftence, are unfolded, and be- 

 come vifible. The moft important of this laft kind are the 

 organs of generation. The caterpillar, the nymph, and the 

 chryfalis, were of no fex. But, after transformation, both 

 fexes are diilingui (liable, and the animals are capable of mul- 

 tiplying their fpecies. 



We fhall now give fome examples of transformations 

 which deviate from the common mode. 



Some infe£ls hold a middle rank between thofe which 

 preferve their original figure during life, and thole that fuf- 

 fer transformations. Their exiftence is divided iino two 

 periods only. They walk in the firft, and fly in the lecond. 

 Thus their only metamorphoiis confifts of the addition of 

 wings, the growth and expanfion of which are performed 

 without any condderable alteration in the figure 01 their 

 bodies. 



There is not a law eftabliflied among organized bodies 

 tvhich feems to be fo univerfal, as that all of them grov/, or 

 augment in fize, after birth, till they arrive at maturity. If 

 a hen were to bring forth an egg as large as her own body, 

 and if this egg, when hatched, were to produce a bird of 

 equal dimenfions with either of the parents, it would be con- 

 fidered as a miracle. But the fpider-JIy, fo denominated 

 from its figure, affords an example of a fimilar prodigy. 

 This fly actually lays an egg, from which a new fly is hatch- 

 ed that is as large and as perfedl as its mother. This egg is 

 toundifh, is at firft white, and afterwards afTumes a fhining 

 black colour. Upon a more accurate examination, however, 

 this production was found to be an egg only in appearance. 

 When the envelope is removed, inftead of a gelatinous fub- 



