OFFENSIVE WEAPONS. 331 



ment; but poisonal so comes in aid of its lacerating power, 

 liquid poison, contained in an attached bag, from which, on 

 pressure by a mechanical contrivance, it is ejected into the 

 wound at the moment of its infliction. This deadly weapon 

 is a bee's sting. 



We are shown next the blood-drawing stiletto of a gnat. 

 We inspect it with an unaided eye. It seems to us a needle, 

 solid, pointed, fine as a hair. We see it in the microscope, 

 and in lieu of a simple needle, we behold a compound of 

 several pieces, some of which are barred. These are the 

 piercers, while the sheath which encloses them is the sucker, 

 which completes the apparatus.* 



But enough of these wounding weapons ; and, hark ! the 

 orchestra is beginning. We hear a mingled strain of sounds 

 harmonious proceeding from stringed instruments and drums; 

 insect instruments of mechanism no less curious and complete 

 than those we have been lately inspecting. We cannot now 

 look 'into their structure, but while our ears are being regaled 

 by their music, not all of harmonious character, but replete 

 with pleasant associations, we must employ our eyes on the 

 concluding exhibition of this our gallery. All is ready ; not 

 'exactly for " dissolving views," but for emerging pictures. 



Now, ladies and gentlemen, we are seated. The canvas, a 



* See, for a more detailed description of most of the above-mentioned objects, the 

 works of Reaumur, Swammerdam, Burmeister, and the volumes of ' Insect Archi- 

 tecture' and ' Miscellanies.' 



