2 INSECT LIFE. 



beauty, and the high development of their instinctive 

 powers render them attractive subjects of study. 

 Any one can find out something new regarding in- 

 sect architecture— the ways in which these creatures 

 build nests for themselves or for their young ; it is 

 easy to observe remarkable feats of engineering, 

 examples of foresight, wonderful industry, unremit- 

 ting care of young, tragedies, and even war and 

 slavery. 



Insects are no longer thought to be unworthy of 

 serious consideration. We have learned that all life 

 is linked together in such a way that no part of the 

 chain is unimportant. Frequently upon the action 

 of some of these minute beings depends the material 

 success or failure of a large section of our country. 



But insects are of interest to us for other reasons 

 than the influence they may have upon our material 

 welfare ; the study of them is a fruitful field for in- 

 tellectual growth. It is not a small matter to be able 

 to view intelligently the facts presented by the insect 

 world, to know something of what is going on around 

 us ; and so rich is this field that no one gains more 

 than a mere smattering concerning it. 



We know as yet comparatively little about the 

 minute structure of insects ; the transformations and 

 habits of the greater number of species have not 

 been studied ; and the blood relationship of the 

 various groups of insects is very imperfectly under- 

 stood. If, therefore, one would learn something of 

 the action of the laws that govern the life and de- 

 velopment of organized beings, and at the same time 

 experience the pleasure derived from original inves- 

 tigation, he can not find a better field than is offered 



