276 
THE 
CANADIAN 
NATURALTSTc 
now,' the long neck is drawn back, the head resting between 
the wings, its usual mode of reposing ; but it frequently pokes 
out its neck to see what is going on. It flies with a flagging 
motion ; and as it slowly rises to flight, and unfolds its 
great pinions, we are startled to see such an expanse of wing 
displayed by what we had supposed so small a bird : it 
chiefly frequents marshes. A species of bittern is found in 
Newfoundland, which I suppose to be this kind. 
C, — I lately saw a fly, which closely resembles the com- 
mon Sand- wasp f Ammophila Sabulosa ), but is a little 
smaller. A great difficulty has occurred to my mind with 
respect to the transformation of these and similar insects, 
which I should be glad to have explained. How do those 
insects, whose abdomen is joined to the thorax by a long 
and slender petiole, contrive to draw it through the narrow 
pupa skin which envelopes that part ? 
F, — The solution of this problem affords a beautiful in- 
stance of the way in which difficulties are met and obviated 
in the works of God. I recollect opening the earthy cocoon 
of a Sphexs nest, a species which has a very slender petiole : 
the white pupa was lying within, inert, and wrapped 
in its swaddling clothes ; and the delicate transparent skin, 
which closely enveloped every other part, was stretched from 
the thorax to the abdomen, like a garment, being as wide 
around the petiole, as in any part of the swelling abdomen. 
This sight struck me with pleasure and admiration ; it proved 
creative design and forethought, better than a dozen lectures 
could have done. Here was a difficulty foreseen, which the 
insect had never yet experienced ; occurring in a state of 
being on which it had not yet entered, and for which it could 
not possibly have received any instructions, having been im- 
mured from the egg, nay, from the ovary of the parent, within 
a very close and dark prison, without the slightest communi- 
cation with the external world. It was removed by a re- 
