HISTORY OF ENTOMOLOGY. AAS 
J 
an Entomologist before he was seventeen years of age, 
in consequence of an impression made upon him by the 
account of the Antlion in that attractive work the Spec- 
tacle de la Nature. From verifying its wonderful his- 
tory with his own eyes, he entered with enthusiasm upon 
the study of other insects, his observations on which he 
regularly communicated to Reaumur. Amongst other 
interesting inquiries, his experiments on that singular 
anomaly in nature the generation of Aphides* do him 
the highest credit, and have set that question perfectly 
at rest. 
In another department of the science this period was 
distinguished by a work which may almost be deemed a 
prodigy. I am speaking of Lyonnet’s admirable treatise 
on the anatomy of the caterpillar of the Cossus,—a work 
which will uphold his reputation as long as Entomology 
shall be cultivated as a science, or the comparative Ana- 
tomist be delighted to trace the footsteps of Divine Wis- 
dom in the gradually varying structure of animals. The 
plates to this publication, executed by the hand of its 
excellent author, are as wonderful as the work itself; 
and together, to use Bonnet’s words, form a demonstration 
of the existence of Gov. It is infinitely to be regretted 
“that the author of this incomparable monument of sci- 
entific ardour and patient industry should have died be- 
fore the full completion of his anatomical description of 
the pupa and imago of the same insect; of which he had 
prepared a considerable portion of the manuscript, and 
engraved upwards of twenty of the plates. 
Numerous other writers in various depar tments of 
the science appeared during this era; but it would be 
@ Vor. I. p. 174. Also see above, p. J60—. » Bonnet i. 19—. 
