The Life of an Insect

is very necessary that this should be clearly understood; and to that end we shall endeavour to render our explanation as simple as po

h will a thousand-fold repay the trouble and time consumed in the occupation. Of all other ways, personal observation, when it is so readily to be effected as in the case of these insects, is the best a

ted, and he might accuse this little work of leading him into error, because it declares that all insects must pass through the pupa state before they become perfect in their form and number of their parts. Yet that very spider has passed through both the larva and the pupa state under the observer's eye without his being able to recognise the fact, simply because in both these states it is very like the perfect insect, and can walk about and

in the perfect state. Thus it differs from the larva state in not eating and moving, and in the important particular,-that it is receiving new parts and organs, which are added to it under the skin. It also differs from the perfect insect in the same respects as in

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ere with the usual actions of life. We must also add, that some of the pup? which we must call inactive, nevertheless are not wholly without motion, but are capable of manife

a little careful study of these two or three pages will fix the distinctive characters of the pupa firmly in t

or this purpose. If we are pretty fortunate in our dissections, we shall succeed in discovering, that within the membrane-like skin there is exhibited a beautiful spectacle of order and neatness. The legs, and wings, and other external appendages, are folded down close to the body of the insect. The feet are often crossed smoothly over the breast, and the wings are flattened against the side of the body; the antenn? are also neatly arranged parallel with the

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very part is widely different from the corresponding parts in the perfect being. The legs are shapeless, the antenn? are imperfect, and the wings,-those glorious organs of the

have their cases, or sheaths; even the eyes are provided with them. They exist also upon the trunk, wings, and legs, and tongue, or proboscis. These cases must not b

tly fastens down the tender limbs into their proper position until the appointed time comes for the insect to burst from its sleep and live, and from which the case which covers them is formed. From the account thus given of the contents of the pupa-case, it will be apparent that the pupa possesses, when perfect, all the organs of the complete insect, head,

ar in shape. In some there is a sort of little hook, which sticks out from the head, and seems as if it were intended to hang up the creature by. In others there is a kind of nose attached to the head, giving it a droll appearance. The cause of these protuberances is the long tongue of these moths, which, as it is much longer than their bodies, could not of course be contained in the pupa case, unless it was folded up; it is, therefore, neatly folded up and packed into these receptacles, where it is stowed away until, by the insect awakening to active life, this singular instrument becomes necessary to them, when it is withdrawn. The older naturalists, who loved to find out mimicries of all kinds in nature, used to be fond of painting pup? with human faces, on account of the frequent resemblance to a Roman nose which is found among them. Goedart, a celebrated naturalist, has drawn several,

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, and shine as though gilded with the purest leaves of that precious metal, and burnished. Hence, as before explained, the Latin and Greek terms of aurelia and chrysalis for the pup? of these insects. The gilding makes them very attractive objects, being applied now in streaks, now in spots, and occasionally,-and this in the very common pupa of the butterfly whose caterpillar, or larva, feeds on the nettle,-they are entirely covered with this splendid coat. The shade of gilding ranges in the depth of its tone from a very pale yellow to the full lustre of virgin gold. No wonder that those who mistook the object of chemistry, in trying to turn all things into gold, were attracted by these glittering things, and actually believed these spots to be of real gold, and hence imagined that they had found out an argument in nat

m the ordinary fishery-pearl. They are devoured by turkeys, and fowls, until the birds are nearly choked with them, when the remedy is to pour vinegar down the throat, which dissolves the pearls, and sets the poor bird at ease. They are strung into necklaces and purses by the ladies of the Bahamas

e Insect and its