71 



bly the actioii of a knife— thus aftbrding the earliest discovered 

 specimens of the art of manufacturing papier mache. 



In the approach tOAvards the last condition of the insect's 

 life, a highly interesting phenomenon is to be witnessed, that of 

 its quitting the pupa-case or puparimn. The dragon fly now 

 quits his subaquatic life and mounts some overhanging stick or 

 branch, where the integument soon splits longitudinally down 

 the back, and the new born airy insect emerges for higher reg- 

 ions. The Cicada, or buzzing locust or harvest fly, quits its 

 puparium as it leaves the earth where it has resided for seven- 

 teen years, and casts aside its empty case, no longer needed. 

 The Mosquito rises to the surface of the water and with aston- 

 ishing dexterity frees itself from its closely investing case 

 without wetting its gauzy wings or injuring its feathery 

 plumes. The splendid velvetty wings of the Promethean moth 

 are expanded and developed from a wet and crumpled mass in 

 the short space of half an hour, and it is ready to fulfill all the 

 important fuuctions of its being. The dorr beetles and other 

 hard-winged insects delay their exit from the earth after quit- 

 ting their pupariums, until their wings have sufiiciently hard- 

 ened and their horny jaws have become firm. 



In all tribes of insects the imago or perfect being is the 

 consummation of beauty and wonder. This is the fourth or last 

 condition of insect life. But though all the several parts of 

 the system of life is here complete, the functions are maintain- 

 ed for only a very limited period. In some tribes the whole 

 imago being extended to little more than a day, a week, month 

 and less then a year. Few insects seem to hybernate and 

 fewer to migrate and return ; — in some kinds no food is 

 taken, there being no mouth to procure aliment — in others the 

 food is of a most delicate kind, being the thin juices of plants 

 or the nectar of flowers ; — while others, on the other hand, 

 consume the hardest materials, waste the most valuable com- 

 modities and destroy the result of the patient labors of years. 



The chief duty prescribed to insects seems to be that of 



