208 EYES OF INSECTS. 
therefore, whether that object be above, 
or below, or at one side, provided it be 
within the limits of the whole hemisphe- 
rical projection, some one lens will be 
found in the proper situation to convey 
its image to the interior of the eye. 
The eyes, which are composed of a 
number of these lenses, are termed reti- 
culatedy because they bear a resemblance 
to the meshes of a very fine net. 
Lucy, Just as if little round lenses 
were stuck into every mesh of the net. 
' Mother. Not exactly: two circles, you 
know, can only touch each other in a 
single point ; and if the lenses were 
round, there would consequently be a 
considerable space lost between each of 
them. The most common shape is hexa- 
gonal, or six-sided ; figures of this form 
fit close together, as you may observe 
in the cells of a honeycomb. 
I have made a drawing of a part of the 
eye of a dragon fly * ; but it is greatly 
* Plate XVIII. 
