OF NATURAL HISTORY. 241 



every ftage of their exiftence, till they pierced the external covering, 

 came out in the form of perfedt flies, and attached themfelves as 

 ufual, to the females. The glow-worm, an animal condemned to 

 crawl perpetually on the furface of the earth, is a female ; and the 

 male, inftead of a reptile, is a fcarabaeus, or beetle, furnifhed with 

 four wings. A fpecies of phofphorus, emitted from the body of the 

 female, excites the attention of this apparently ftrange male, who 

 darts down upon her, and adlually enables her to continue the kind * 

 The female of another fpecies of beetle is a perfed reptile, and has 

 not the fmalleft veftige of wings. But the male is a real beetle with 

 four wings, and is fo difproportioned to the female in fize, that 

 their jundion fhould appear to be equally fingular as that of a ram 

 with an elephant. With regard to the pucerons, or vine-fretters, 

 the males are winged ; but the females remain during life totally 

 deftitute of wings. In fome fpecies of them, however, the females 

 have wings, and thefe inftruments of motion are denied to the males. 

 Between the fize of the male and female pucerons, there is likewife 

 a remarkable difproportion. The males, particularly thofe which 

 have no wings, are fo comparatively fmall, that they fun about 

 like the niale gall-infeas, upon the backs of the females. While 

 this exercife continues, which is often very long, the female remains 

 almoft motionlefs. The more infenfibility and liftleflhefs fhown by 

 the female, the male exhibits the greater ardour and agility. In this 

 fituatlon he paffes whole days without taking any nourifiiment. 



In birds of prey, the females are larger, ftronger, fiercer, and more 

 beautiful than the males. This fuperiority of ftrength and magni- 

 tude is conferred on the females, becaufe, in general, they are obli- 

 ged to procure food both for themfelves and for their pro'^eny. 

 Vultures, however, are to be excepted ; for the males are equal in 



H h t fize, 



* Reaumur. Ocuvres de Bonnet, torn. 2. p. 87. edit. 8vg. 



