STORY OF INSECT LIFE 121 



the many rejected, and left in quiet to the duties of 

 a wife and a mother. 



Her married life is but short, for her husband 

 rarely survives his happiness more than a few hours, 

 and she, after making due preparation for the wel- 

 fare of her numerous family, whom she is never to 

 see, feels tha,t she has fulfilled her destiny, and gives 

 up a life which has now no further object. 



There is really something very human in the life 

 even of an insect. Many a life story have I watched 

 in the insect world, which, if transferred to the 

 human world, would be full of interest. There is 

 also one great advantage m the insect life, namely, 

 that as it only consists of a year or two, the events 

 of several successive generations come under the ob- 

 servation of a single historian. 



First, a number of tiny, purposeless beings come 

 into the world, spreading about much at random, 

 and seeming to have no other object except to eat. 

 It is but just to them to say that they don't cry, and 

 are always contented with the food that is given 

 them. 



They rapidly increase in size, pass through a re- 

 gular series of childish complaints, which we mass 

 together under this single term, "moulting," but 

 which are probably -to their senses as distinct as 

 measles, and chicken-pox, and hooping-cough. 



They outgrow a great many suits of clothes in a 

 wonderfully short period ; they retire for a time to 



