STATES OP INSECTS. 34-3 



while she has either no wings or only rudiments of them, 

 he is amply provided with them. Again : amongst the 

 insects that suck the blood of man or beast, such as the 

 gnat (Culex) or horse-flies (Tabanida), it is the female 

 alone that is bloodthirsty, the males contenting them- 

 selves with the nectar of flowers a . But the difference of 

 character in the sexes is most conspicuous, at least it has 

 been more noticed, in those that live in societies, and is 

 quite the reverse of what takes place in the human spe- 

 cies. While the females and workers (which are now 

 generally considered as sterile females, in which the ova- 

 ries are not developed) are laborious and active, diligent 

 and skilful, wise and prudent, courageous and warlike; — 

 the males, on the contrary, take no part in promoting the 

 common weal, except merely a sexual one. Though till 

 a certain period they are supported at the expense of the 

 community, they take no part in its labours, either in 

 collecting and forming the public stores, or in feeding 

 and attending the young. They are idle, cowardly, and 

 inactive ; have neither art nor skill of any kind, and 

 are unprovided with the usual offensive weapons of theii 

 species. These observations in their full force apply par- 

 ticularly to the hive-bee, and partially to the other social 

 insects; amongst which, if you consult my former com- 

 munications, there are some exceptions to this slothful 

 character in the males b . 



II. Age. There is less diversity in the duration of the 

 lives of insects in their perfect than in their larva or pupa 



a N. Diet. d'Hisf. Nat. xxxii. 44;?. 

 "See above, Vol. II. 110, 118. 



