54 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



golden or pink spiracles ; then the change of the 

 caterpillar to vivid bright green, banded with 

 black velvet, and studded as it were with precious 

 stones, and, at last, the most wonderful change 

 of all when it spins its own mysterious shroud, 

 which is so well guarded that no enemy can enter 

 its precincts; and its subsequent emergence as 

 the perfect and beautiful insect. Surely any sick 

 person, willing to trace the symbol, must feel 

 cheered and interested in such a study of nature . 

 This subject has been impressed upon our minds 

 by an occurrence which came under our notice 

 many years ago. A young, happy, and apparently 

 healthy girl took a great interest in the collections 

 of a friend in her neighbourhood, and at length, 

 becoming enthusiastic, she announced her intention 

 of " learning all about it," and of beginning to 

 collect specimens at once. The naturalist, ple?sed 

 and amused, offered his willing aid. About a 

 month afterwards they met. " Well, how are the 

 butterflies and moths getting on ?" The young 

 lady blushed, "Mama did not like me to go on, 

 so of course I gave them up." "Why?' exclaim- 

 the astonished naturalist. But she did not seem 

 inclined to answer, and the subject dropped. He 

 had reason afterwards to believe that her mother 

 was afraid of Miss L being called a "blue- 

 stocking " if she pursued any scientific subject. 

 So she was allowed to expend her youthful 

 energies in remodelling fashionable dresses, and 

 to waste her health in poring over novels by the 

 fireside ; out-of-door exercise was neglected be- 

 cause there was "nothing to do," unless they 



-drove out for a morning visit. Miss L was 



afterwards a victim to spine disease, wandering 

 about from place to place in search of health ; 

 and there was scarcely a spot she visited in which 

 some naturalist could not have been found, who 

 would gladly have helped the poor invalid to wile 

 away some weary hours by means of his favourite 

 amusements. But the energy to begin a pursuit 

 had fled ; it was too late for natural history to 

 become a recreation, and yet what a resource it 

 might have been. Of course there are many 

 people who have neither health nor strength to 

 carry a botanical box across the country, " to 

 sugar " or catch butterflies ; yet, if a love of the 

 study of nature is implanted in youth, it seldom 

 failsTo enliven old age. Friends will gladly help 

 on an innocent pursuit. The handful of rare 



flowers, brought by some country rambler to th 

 couch of a sick friend, or the rare larva, picke* 

 up and carefully carried home upon its food-le? 

 for his amusement, are "cups of cold water "h 

 their own way ; and old age will kindle at th 

 sight of a plant or insect, beloved in days gom 

 by, and bring out its store of valuable informatioi 

 upon the almost forgotten subject. 



It is true that flowers and larvae are sometimeflf 

 forbidden in a sick-room, and medical adviserfjf 0 

 tell us that they may prove injurious to the patient 1 * 

 but strongly perfumed flowers may be consigned' 

 to the outside window-sill in company with al'f 

 hairy larva?, but to smooth loopers and cuspidate 11 

 there cannot be the same objection ; and a wreat)^ 

 of blue forget-me-nots growing and blowing in * : 

 saucer of moss and water, is both a pleasure an''* 

 an interest in a sick-room. 



One word of advice to my young friends ere If 

 conclude. Whatever innocent pursuit you takjf ■ 

 up, follow it fearlessly, but do not allow yourse 

 to become absorbed in it to the neglect of high< 

 and nobler duties. 



ORDERS OF INSECTS. 



(Continued from Page 47.) 



We have now to tell you something ofthesecor 

 stage of insect life. Eggs of insects after vario' 

 periods, depending on the temperature and oth 

 circumstances, produce what are called in scienc 

 Larva?. Several English names are given to insecj 

 in this state, according to their appearance. T!j| 

 footless, generally light colored larva? of flies ali 

 called "Maggots," the case making larvae of Cadd 1 1 

 flies are called "Caddis-worms," the hairy lanli. 

 of some moths are also called " Hairy WormsU 

 while the smooth larva? are called " Caterpillarsjt 

 others are called " Grvfcs," "Ant-lions," &|F 

 while for some, such as the larva? of the Drag*"* 

 Fly, we never heard an English name. 



This is the only stage in which insects gro; 

 The larva is truly a voracious creature, devouri 

 steadily an enormous quantity of such food as 

 will eat. Their first meal is often made from < 

 shell of the egg that contained them. In allca: 

 they have t» eat their way out, and it is one of 1 

 wonderful provisions of insect life, that the « 

 shell affords them food. They march off as sc 

 as they emerge to seek a further supply, which tl 



