118 TWOFOLD LIFE. 



and the other for its progeny. The former is com- 

 - paratively weak, and but loosely clings to its home ; 

 but the latter intrenches itself in every organ, pene- 

 trates every fibre, and, until its great work is 

 completed, refuses to be expelled. So, unless the 

 entire mechanism of the insect be killed, the poor 

 creature may live for days in pain. 



Fortunately, there is a mode of so doing ; and this 

 is the way of doing it : — 



Make a strong solution of oxalic acid, or get a little 

 bottle of prussic acid — it is the better of the two, if 

 you have discretion as beseems a naturalist. Also 

 make a bone or iron instrument, something like a pen, 

 but without a nib. Dip this instrument into the 

 poison as you would a pen, and then you have a 

 weapon as deadly as the cobra's tooth, and infinitely 

 more rapid in its work. Now hold your moth de- 

 licately as entomologists hold moths, near the root 

 of the wings. Keep the creature from fluttering ; 

 plunge the instrument smartly into the thorax, 

 between the insertion of the first and second pair of 

 legs ; withdraw it as smartly, and the effect will be 

 instantaneous. The moth will stretch out all its 

 legs to their full extent ; there will be a slight quiver 

 of the extremities ; they will be gently folded over 

 each other ; and you lay your dead moth on the 

 table. 



The reason of this rapid decease is of a twofold 

 nature. 



