248 FIRST PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL CLASSIFICATION. 



have, like all other circles, a sub-typical division of their 

 own. These are distinguished by their caterpillars 

 being armed with formidable spines or prickles^ which 

 in general are possessed of some highly acrimonious or 

 poisonous quality capable of injuring those who touch 

 them. In short, the infinite variety of ways by which 

 this peculiarity is modified is so wonderful, as, but for 

 unquestionable facts, would appear incredible. The 

 suspension of the chrysalis is another intimation of the 

 same symbolical character. That of the butterfly, the 

 ■pre-eminent type of annulose animals, is fixed with its 

 head upwards, as if it looked to the pure regions of 

 heaven for the enjoyment it is to receive in its last and 

 final state of perfection ; but the chrysalis of the brush- 

 footed butterflies (^Nymphalides Sw.), whose caterpillars 

 are stinging, is suspended with the head downwards to 

 the earth, thus pointing to the world as the only habit- 

 ation where its innumerable types of evil are permitted 

 to reside : or to that dark and bottomless region, where 

 punishment awaits the wicked at their last great 

 change. It is only when extensive researches bring to 

 hght a uniformity of results, that we can venture to 

 believe they are so universal as to deserve being ranked 

 as primary laws. Thus, when a celebrated entomologist 

 denounced as " impure " the black and lurid beetles 

 forming the Saprophagous Petalocera of Mr. MacLeay^ 

 a tribe living only upon putrid vegetable matter, and 

 hiding themselves in their disgusting food, or in the 

 dark hollows of the earth, neither of these celebrated men 

 suspected the absolute fact, elicited from our analysis of 

 this group, that this very tribe constituted the sub-typical 

 group of one of the primary divisions of coleopterous 

 insects : nor had they any suspicion that by the filthy 

 habits, and repulsive forms of these beetles, nature had 

 intended that they should be types or emblems of 

 hundreds of other groups, distinguished by pecuharities 

 equally indicative of evil. Oa the other hand, the 

 Thalerophagous Petalocera, forming the typical group 

 of the same division, present us with all the perfections 



