148 THE UNIVEESE. 



last scene of life save one, that which the chrysalis now 

 takes on is thicker, stronger, darker, and less ornamented 

 than all the others, and nevertheless it is beneath this that 

 a divine alchemy scatters its dust of gold and silver ujDon 

 the elytra of the insect, or enamels them with sapphire 

 and I'uby. 



In fact Avhen tlie new creature, bursting its sej)ulcliral 

 laboratory, expands itself in the light, its dazzling robe 

 reflects the brightest sheen of metal or the glitter of jew- 

 elry. No animal, no plant, displays such riches; our most 

 beautiful ornaments cannot compete with them. Hence 

 Lesser was so overcome by admiration as to exclaim in 

 his Theology of IiuecAs, "Never was Solomon on his shining 

 throne so magnificently appareled as one of these fragile 

 creatures!" 



In the old chronicles we often read of drops of blood 

 scattered here and there being regarded as a sinister omen, 

 or even of regular showers of blood which carried terror 

 into the minds of our superstitious ancestors. Now-a-days 

 philosophers can clearly explain this phenomenon, which 

 is connected with the metamorphosis of insects. 



Gregory of Tours speaks of a shower of blood which 

 fell in the reign of C'liildebert and spread alarm among the 

 Franks. But the most celebrated is that which took place 

 at Aix during the summer, of 1608. It struck the inhabi- 

 tants of all the country with terror. The Avails of the 

 churchyard and those of the houses of the citizens and 

 peasants for half a league round Avere all spotted with 

 great drops of blood. 



An attentive examination of them convinced a savant 

 of that day, M. de Pcirese, that all that Avas told about 

 the subject Avas only a fable. He could not at first explain 

 this exti-aordinary phenomenon, but chance revealed the 



