NOVEMBEE. 259 



convenient place of descent, suited to its curtailed condi- 

 tion with respect to legs, of which it appeared perfectly 

 aware, occupied the head incessantly. I regarded it with 

 astonishment : here then, said I to myself, lies the vitality 

 of an insect, the body is dead at any rate ; but in this I was 

 quickly undeceived, for in about a minute after the body 

 had fallen on the paper, I saw the hind legs brought up- 

 wards, and employed in deliberately brushing and cleaning 

 the wing-cases ; the legs were then withdrawn, the cases 

 raised up, the true wings expanded from beneath, and 

 all made ready for flight, but the body, seeming then to 

 become aware that there was no guide, the head, its former 

 companion, being in possession of the eyes, the design was 

 abandoned, the wings folded up in their usual beautiful 

 manner, and the attitude of rest again assumed. A more 

 perfect act of a sentient creature could not be exhibited ; 

 the head continued to run about, and the body to clean and 

 expand its wings, the one for about twelve, the other six- 

 teen hours, their energies gradually decaying, till they ap- 

 peared to perish, or rather to sleep. " 



From this and many similar anecdotes, it is apparent 

 that insects have not that acute sense of pain possessed by 

 the various tribes of animals, and it may assist in reconciling 



