I 



FLIGHT OF INSECTS 93 



beautiful birds and flowers, and rightly so, but 

 seldom is the insect world referred to. But if the 

 insects were, as a rule, large enough for the human 

 eye (unaided by the microscope) to distinctly see 

 their gorgeous colourings, their wonderful motions, 

 and general magnificent appearances, they would, 

 in many cases, outrival our most gorgeously 

 arrayed birds and flowers. Solomon knew a little 

 about Natural History and the wonders of creation, 

 but not until man discovered and applied the 

 microscope were these most delicate and exquisite 

 creations revealed; to know that an atom of life 

 smaller than the point of the finest needle (a giant 

 among the finer organisms of life) contains head, 

 body, and many internal organs, muscles, blood 

 vessels, stomach, and nerves, is truly beyond our 

 comprehension. 



Before finally concluding our notes upon the 

 flight of insects, it will be interesting, perhaps, to 

 foUow the subject a little further. 



Some insects rise to a great height in the air, 

 and at times we see the Swift and Swallow (two 

 of our most useful birds) following them up and 

 feeding upon them. 



Locusts in flight cause great alarm among the 

 people in the countries they visit. Happily, we 

 in Britain never hear the sound of their wings; 

 but the reader who wishes to obtain some idea of 

 their wonderful migrations would do well to read 



