19 
mercies, anti it is his will no doubt, that those his 
armies should be let loose as one of the means 
to accomplish his wise purposes. When the Crea- 
tor sees it good to stop their depredations how 
miraculously does he raise up other armies calcu- 
lated to subdue these depredators. This was 
astonishingly exhibited in the year 1826 by the 
Lady-bird ( Coccinella.) Throughout the greatest 
part of the spring months most species of the 
Aphides made their appearance, and so rapid was 
their increase that symptoms of serious injury to 
the vegetable kingdom appeared to be advancing 
most rapidly, but fortunately nature commimded 
those little warriors to prepare for and enter 
the field of war, which they courageously obey- 
ed, and made their overwhelming attacks upon 
the enemy about the middle of May, and so 
effectually repulsed them, that scarcely one in 
the whole could be found by the middle of J une, 
either living or dead, although a short time be- 
fore so formidable and so multitudinous were 
these troops, that we could not so much as suppose 
there was any way of escape. These animals, 
while in the larvae or imperfect state, are nearly 
black ; when full grown, they ai-e about half an 
inch long, about the size, or rather larger than 
the body of a house ffy without its wings, and 
obtuse at the head, gradually tapering to a point 
at its lower extremity. They have numerous an- 
nular joints quite round the body, the whole 
body has a rough or knotted appearance, and is fur- 
