15 



animate world, an enlargement of our prescribed limits, 

 for specific variation, ought in reality to foUow (sooner 

 or later) as an inevitable consequence. 



In whichever light, therefore, insect aberration is 

 viewed by us, — whether as a matter of experience (which, 

 being self-evident, will satisfy the practical observer), or 

 as probable from analogy (which will hardly be denied, 

 at any rate to a certain extent, by even the most theo- 

 retical), — we afiirm that it does, ipso facto, exist. 

 " There is no similitude in Nature that owneth not also 

 to a difference ;" let this be constantly borne in mind, 

 for it is a truism almost beyond controversy, and one 

 which, to a reflective mind, will scarcely admit of a 

 doubt. 



It wiU be perceived, from the above remarks, that I 

 draw a distinction between insects which simply vary 

 (that is to say, which aberr from their normal state), 

 and those which afford (in the sense as enunciated in 

 the last chapter) one or more actual " varieties," — 

 technically so called : and it will be further gathered, 

 that, whilst I regard the former as universally to be met 

 with, the latter are, on the contrary, of only occasional 

 occurrence. That positive and weU-defined varieties, or 

 races, should be confined to certain species, is not re- 

 markable ; but that every individual insect should difier, 

 however slightly, from its nearest relation and ally, may 

 perhaps require some few words of explanation, even to 

 a naturalist. It is not essential however to our present 

 subject (which is merely a plea for specific variation 



