Metamorphosis of Insects. 6i 



beloved object. All creatures rise above their own 

 level, all mount toward the light, on the pinions 

 of desire. The internal fire is also revealed in 

 glowing colors. Every one decorates his person, 

 every one wishes to please. 



" The butterfly apparently looks upon you with 

 the great velvety eyes which adorn its wings. 

 Beetles of every species, like mobile stones, aston- 

 ish by their brilliant reflexes, their burning viva- 

 cities. Finally, from the bosom of the shadows 

 bursts the flame of love, naked and unveiled, in 

 flashing stars ! 



" At such a moment it accomplishes the strangest 

 transformations, and from the humblest masks issue, 

 in violent contrast, the superbest individuals. 



" A dull larva of the morass, which lives only by 

 stratagem, becomes the brilliant amazon, the agile 

 winged warrior, called Demoiselle ' (libellula). It 

 is the only creature of its tribe which expresses the 

 complete liberty of flight, holding the same rank 

 among insects as the swallow among birds. Who 

 has not followed with attentive gaze its thousand 

 varied movements, its turns and returns, and the 

 infinite circles which it makes with azure and 

 emerald wings on the meadow or over the waters? 

 A flight apparently capricious, but not really so, 

 for it is a chase, a rapid and elegant extermination 

 of myriads of insects. What seems to you a pas- 



* Dragon-flj', Devil's Darning-needle, Mosquito Hawk are 

 the common names for this insect. 



