THE SUBSTITUTE; 
Or, Entomological Exchange Facilitator, and 
Entomologist’s Fire-side Companion. 
■'•f. 
11^ the extracts from Guenee’s 
■‘‘Noctuelites,’ given at page 32, the 
fbllowing sentence occurs. “ The 
law® of the second series, or 
Nomgridca, have particular man- 
ners, -which necessitate modifica- 
tions in their organisation.” This 
may be a slip of the pen — we hope 
it is — hut the idea conveyed is so 
erroneous that we think it right to 
offer thejeon a few remarks. Mo- 
difications from what? What 
were the Nonagridce before they 
were modified? and what modi- 
fied them ? Their manners ? No : 
circumstances never modify or- 
ganisation in this way ; and if the 
habitat be changed a new or- 
ganisation must be provided. 
Nature never plays second to cir- 
cumstance ; but the various cir- 
cumstances occurring in and con- 
cerning the existence of her 
myriads of living creatures all 
form part of her one great plan, 
aud are foreseen and provided for 
accordingly ; and thus organisa- 
tion is fitted for the predetermineil 
conditions in which animals have 
to live. 
Among insects climate and 
situation unquestionably exercise 
considerable influence upon form, 
size and colour; but this influ- 
ence is limited within such bounds 
that it is very rarely the type of 
the insects so affected cannot be 
referred to. Some species have 
great power of endurance, but it 
is only within a certain range of 
circumstances : introduce another 
element and they perish. Indeed, 
the idea of species, so to speak, 
appears to be dependent upon a 
previous creation of circumstances 
which required that every kind of 
organised being should occupy 
only a limited sphere of action, 
each sphere, though varying in 
extent, being apportioned to that, 
one kind which we call “a spe- 
cies.” It has been remarked that- 
countries and districts subject to 
similar climatic conditions, al- 
though thousands of miles apart, 
possess a similar insect Fauna, 
formed as it were upon the same 
type. This might be deemed to 
be a modification of form by cir- 
cumstance, but we, on the other 
hand, hold that it is only an intro- 
duction of similar forms to similar 
No. 9.] SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1856. [Price 2d. 
STRUCTUBE AND HABIT. 
K 
