INSECTS IN GENERAL. 31 



insects, has assuredly admitted no unnecessary parts into 

 their composition. Notwithstanding their minuteness, they 

 cannot fail to excite our admiration in a much greater 

 degree than larger animals, when we consider that there are 

 many more component parts in their body, than in the enor- 

 mous living masses of the elephant or the whale. In the pro- 

 duction of the butterfly, and of every insect which undergoes 

 a true metamorphosis, the equivalent at least of two animals 

 is produced." 



The prodigious variety of forms in the insect world, 

 through all its numerous tribes, presents a grand and most 

 interesting spectable to the eye of reflection — what diversity 

 in the general figure of the body, in the structure of the 

 organs of locomotion, manducation and generation, and of all 

 the external parts ! There are doubtless, however, many 

 wonders concealed from our inspection in the insect frame, 

 by the difficulty of examining its internal conformation. 

 Much, notwithstanding, has been discovered, which exhibits 

 the most surprising mechanism, and is calculated to excite 

 our curiosity, and stimulate our zeal in the study of those 

 wonderful little beings. M. Latreille conjectures, and per- 

 haps with probability, that a completer knowledge of the 

 anatomy of insects might lead us to the solution of many 

 problems relative to the anatomy of the human body. 



But even though the study of an organization, so singular 

 and varied as that of insects, should be deemed to possess but 

 little interest for the general reader, still there are many 

 other phenomena connected with these animals, that cannot 

 fail to engage observation and rivet attention. Among these 

 are the surprising transformations of their early age ; their 

 stratagems, address, skill and industry, in pursuing their 

 prey, or procuring their food of whatever kind ; the ingeni- 

 ous resources which they employ for defence against their 

 enemies ; all the marvels connected with their reproduction, 



