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worm, and ants. Under this laft fpecies ought to be comprehended the white and red ants found in the Eaft Indies, the formica-leo, and the ant of the Philippine Iflands, called Sinum. In continuing the enumeration of infects, with fix feet, we fhall find worms which devour green and dry wood, bugs, among which I rank the Hocitexca of the Eait Indies, and the Ytzuaque of Mechoacan, the lice of bees, of the Dor-beetle, of dogs, of fheep and other animals: Ticks, mites, fleas, and dermelles. The fame variety is obfervable in the infects with eight feet. The greater part of fpiders must be ranked in this order; fuch are many forts of foreign fpiders, aquatic and terreftrial; fuch also are the Tarantula, the great fpider of Brazil, called the Nhamdu guafu; the fpider or flea, which they call Tunga, and that to which they give the name of wolf; all of which are poffeffed of a very dangerous, and often mortal poifon, Many fpecies of lice, have alfo eight legs, as well as the land and water fcorpions, and fome fpecies of fmall caterpillars, which adhere to leaves.

I rank in this clafs of infects with ten feet, cer tain fpecies of foreign fpiders, and the caterpillars, called Geometræ, the aquatic anifci have twelve feet, the aquatic fleas, and common caterpillars, the water loufe too, and others have fourteen. The Onifcus Ceti, has fixteen. We obferve eighteen feet in thofe white caterpillars, fpotted with black, which feed on the leaves of the Alder. Those worms of the colour of ochre, which are found in rotten wood, and which afterwards change into that kind of beetle, with a probofcis, (Curculio) have twenty-four feet. Laftly, there are fome, which have ftill a greater number of feet, as many fpecies of fmail cente pieds and Scolopendra, both aquatic and terrestrial. know in particular two fpecies, one of them having

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one hundred and eight feet, and the other no iefs than one hundred and eighty four.

I obferved above, that among winged infects, fome had naked wings, and others had their wings covered with a cafe. The wings of the former, are either quite fmooth and tranfparent, or covered with a fort of meal.

Among those with fmooth wings, fome have two wings, and fome four; to the former of these belong the gnats, whether of Europe or America; the moft remarkable of which are, the Maringoin, the Mofquito, the Yetis, and winged ant. To these must be added, many fpecies of flies, fuch as the Afilus aquaticus, the flies that are found on dung, in the earth, on leaves, and not only those that fuck the juice of flowers, but of fruits; thofe that are voracious, and eat other infects, and the flesh of ferpents, and other animals. We refer likewise to the fame clafs, the flies which attack dogs, and horses, the gad-flies, the Ricinus volans; thofe that are found on the leaves of the hazel tree, the Ichneumons, which have certain hairs iffuing from the poftorior part of the abdomen like a tail, fome having one, two, or three of thefe, and others four; to thefe we add the Taons and Tipulæ.

The number of infects which have four uncovered wings, fmooth and membranous, is not lefs great than thofe which have only two. In this class are

the aquatic flies with a downy abdomen, wafps, bees, drones, and different fpecies found in the Brazils, grafshoppers, the fhining flies, the Ephemeræ, the criket, and the (Gryllotalpa) mole cricket. To th-fe may be added dragon flies, large and fmall, a fpecies of gnat called by the Germans, Kerder-mucke, the fly with the fcorpion's tail, and others of the fame

kind; fome winged aphides, the winged fcorpion; fome aquatic gnats, the ichneunion, and various other forts of flies.

The infects with mealy wings, as if very fine powder had been ftrewed over them, have four wings. I include in this clafs, the day butterflies of every fpecies and colour; the Phalenæ or moths, which during the day lurk in obfcurity; the Tinex, whofe wings are as long, though not fo broad, as those of moths, and whole body is often not larger than that of a fly.

Speaking of infects whofe wings are covered with á cafe, we diftinguished them into two kinds. The cafes of the one leave a part of the abdomen bare, and thofe of the others cover it entirely. Among the firft, are various forts of bugs; the aquatic, fome of which fwim on their back, thofe that are found in dung, and thofe that live on trees. To these we may add, the earwig, the May beetle, the Staphyli nus, the Silpha Vefpillo, and others of the fame kind. Thofe whofe wings and abdomen are entirely covered, have not all cafes of the fame degree of hardnefs. In fome it is very tender and delicate as in grafshoppers, both foreign and indigenous, in the Mantis of Italy, the Arbe, the Selaam, the Hargol, the Hagab of Paleftine, the hooded locuft of America, the walking leaf of the Eaft Indies, &c. In others, the covering is much harder, and this clafs is very numerous. the first place we enumerate the Buprestis, and differ ent forts of cantharides, the Dytifci, the Ceramby ces, the fmal! hemifpherical Lady flies of which the red are the most common, the Curculios, and many others, to which we may join the different fpecies of Scarabaei with horns, both ftraight and crooked; the flying ftag &c.

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If we contemplate for a moment that prodigious umber of different fpecies of infects, fome of which we have mentioned; if we attend to the diverfity which reigns among them, with refpect to the figure and fitnefs of their limbs; if we confider that each fpecies is furnished with every thing neceffary for its exiftence, but with nothing more; how mult we be ftruck with admiration, and what ideas will we not entertain of the infinite wifdom of the Creator! Should an artift ingenious enough to imitate exactly the figures of thefe different animals, exhibit them to the view of fpectators, how would he find his fkill celebrated! The delicacy of the work would be admired, and the author extolled but what dif proportion would there not be between the labour of fuch an artift, and the productions of the divine workman! Allowing that the former fhould perfectly fucceed in imitating the external appearance of the animal, could we thence conclude that the artist had equalled the fkill and wifdom of the Creator? No, there could be no comparison. The mafter-piece of fuch an artist would be altogether def. titute of that which forms the chief beauty in the works of God, as the fligheft examination would convince us. Where would we fee that internal ftructure which the moft inconfiderate are aftonished at? Where could we find thofe wife and fubtile fprings which move of themfelves? What artift could imitate thofe organs which are fo minute as to elude our fenfes? Let us then be confiftent; if we admire the addrefs of a workman even when we confefs it infinitely below that of the divine being, let us not refufe to the Creator the glory that is due to him. As much as his wifdom, apparent in the ftructure of an Infect, tranfcends that of the moft ingenious ar tift, fo far ought our praifes of the creator to exceed thofe we beftow on his humble imitator. On the fight of any infect let us accuftom ourfelves to magnify

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the depth of the wifdom and knowledge of that God who hath created them; let us never contemplate them without celebrating him, who hath given them life and breath and being. These are the natural fentiments which ought to asife in the hearts of every rational being; and they incited David to cry out, let every creature praise the name of the Lord. As thefe are not all capable of thofe fentiments, they cannot praise their Creator but by exciting his intelligent creatures to acquit themfelves of that important duty. Let them praise the name of the Lord; for he commanded, and they were created. He hath alfo eftablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which fhall not pa's away. Praife the Lord from the earth, beafts, and all cattle, creeping things and flying fowl: kings of the earth, and all people, princes, and all judges of the earth; both young men, and maidens, old men and children; let them praise the name of the Lord; for his 'name' alone is excellent, his glory is above the earth and heaven.' PSALM, CXLVIII, 5,6,7,10-13..

CHAP. IV.

OF THE NUMBERS OF INSECTS, AND OF THE

PROPORTION IN WHICH THEY MULTIPLY.

THE enumeration I made in the last chapter of some of the most common infects, fhews that their num

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