TELEPHORUS, OR SOLDIER-BEETLE. 105 



CHAPTER III. 



INSECTS MOUNTED WHOLE. 

 COLEOPTERA, HEMIPT. HYMENOPT., as C. iv. DIPTERA. 



HITHERTO we have only examined parts of various in- 

 sects, and whilst they have surprised and delighted us by 

 their curious or beautiful forms, and shown us how per- 

 fectly they are adapted to the wants of each insect; 

 yet we have but a very imperfect idea of the anatomy of 

 any single insect without one of these beautiful prepara- 

 tions. 



They cost years of thought and experience to bring to 

 this perfection. To preserve the delicate body entire, yet 

 make it perfectly transparent, so as to display every joint, 

 and in many cases its internal muscular structure ; to fix 

 it in its natural position, and embalm it, as it were, in the 

 clear preservative medium, Canada balsam; to draw out 

 the beautiful tongue, or the wonderful ovipositor, and show 

 the varied and fragile antennae, or lay out the fine tissue of 

 the wings, was the work of many a day before this art was 

 attained. 



And these slides are so valuable to the young student of 

 natural history that no microscope box should be without 

 one or two illustrations of each of these orders Coleoptera, 

 Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, and Diptera. 



No engraving can teach the lesson upon insect anatomy 

 so well as that which is learnt at the microscope with one 

 of these slides upon the stage. They are sold by Baker, of 

 High Holborn; Lad d, Chancery Lane ; Smith and Beck, 

 Coleman Street. 



Take, for instance, one of the Coleoptera 



THE TELEPHORUS, OR SOLDIER-BEETLE. 



We find this little creature abundantly in our gardens, on 

 hedges, and on the long grass of a sunny June morning ; 



