ALPHABET OF INSECTS. '65 



This is an interesting subject. The circulation of blood in 

 insects has been, until lately (notwithstanding the remarks of 

 Professor Carus), considered very doubtful. The brilliant 

 discovery has, however, been at length made by an English 

 naturalist, J. Bowerbank, Esq. ; and it is found to be as 

 beautifully perfect, and the pulsations as regular, as in the 

 human system. Mr. Bowerbank has delighted us by a sight 

 of this extraordinary phenomenon ; and we trust shortly to see 

 a statement of it in detail laid before the public. The Pro- 

 fessor was rather hasty in the conclusion, that there " cannot 

 be a circulation of blood in insects." We did not expect the 

 Professor would be aware of the fact ; but he need not have 

 decided on its impossibility. It has a long time been known, 

 by naturalists, that circulation must exist, to prevent the 

 putrefying consequences of stagnation; but its existence has 

 hitherto, we acknowledge, wanted proof. 



" Insects have the two sexes as distinct as the larger animals ; 

 and, in many respects, are similar to birds, as far as pairing is con- 

 cerned." P. 82. 



We have been practical collectors of insects for thirty years, 

 and have not met with these instances of pairing, or any in- 

 stances of similarity to birds. The fact, which we are not now 

 disposed to dilate on, is the reverse of the statement. 



At p. 90, and sequel, we find the Professor changes the usual 

 terms. Larva, Pupa, and Imago, to " Infancy/ of Insects," 

 " Adolescence of Insects," and " Adult stage of Insects," 

 because he will never adopt Latin or Greek words, when 

 Saxon ones can be obtained, and because he considers that 

 " of all vulgarities, pedantic vulgarity is the most offensive." (!) 

 p. xii. 



" Butterflies seldom live longer than a few days." P. 97. 



Rhamni lives twelve months; lo, Atalanta, Cardui, Poly- 

 chloros, &c., nine months ; the other British butterflies, two to 

 three months. 



Professor Rennie concludes his Alphabet by abusing system- 

 makers and systems without mercy. He rejects the system of 

 Fabricius as complex, that of Linn^us as indistinct, and 

 modern systems as hypothetical ; and then gives us his own 

 views of the subject. He describes the bee-parasite, Stylops, 



NO. I. VOL. II. K 



