124 THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



gave man the microscope. His world it is ; His creatures 

 these, and of all the countless host of " creeping things/' 

 the Diptera seem to come most nearly and constantly 

 within our reach. Other insects we must seek abroad in 

 woods and meadows and by the river-side, and only at 

 some seasons of the year do we meet with them ; but the 

 Diptera are ever within reach our little home friends. The 

 invalid may sit all the year round within the shelter of his 

 room, yet seldom fail of finding a few of these to watch 

 and to admire. The little Phora lingers through the winter 

 on our window-panes, and the pretty Midge hops to and 

 fro in December days; whilst with the earliest sun of 

 February the quiet heavy-looking Musca rudis appears in 

 numbers long before the active merry little Musca domestica, 

 or House-fly, awakes from its long nap in some snug unsus- 

 pected hiding-place. 



Those who have not learnt to know and love the living 

 things around us, walk to and fro amidst many untasted 

 pleasures. I often think the difference between such igno- 

 rance and the knowledge we might easily attain resembles 

 that which we feel when walking alone and friendless in the 

 crowded streets of London with a stream of fellow-creatures 

 hurrying past, of whose life-history we know nothing, and 

 for whom we care nothing ; and the same walk taken in 

 our native village or island home, where every one we meet 

 is an acquaintance, relative, or friend, or friend's friend, 

 striking unconsciously the electric chain of sympathy. 

 Even if we know but a name, it is something that is akin to 

 brotherhood. Thus also before we know the structure, 

 habits, and names of insects, what are they to us ? Every 

 worm is a worm ; a beetle is a beetle ; every fly is a fly 

 nothing more. 



But take the trouble to examine one little insect the 

 humblest, the commonest learn how wonderfully it is 

 fashioned, how gifted with happy instincts, and how obe- 

 dient in its work learn its name, and give it a kindly look 

 just once, and a little friend is gained for life; you will 

 never again catch a sight of that small insect without a 

 feeling akin to brotherhood you know it, and it may be 



