■ is die-mean through which life is conveyed to the creatures of
this lower world; that by finking into error, and foftering evil,
he perverts his own life,- and corrupts all that which proceeds
from him: fo that the effefts are the fame on the orders beneath
him, as would arife to the world if a -continual cloud was
placed between us and the fun, depriving us at once o f the falu-
tary effefts o f it’s invigorating heat and cheering light.
Laftly, many infefts feed upon others ; nay, fome even upon
their own fpecies, The_ numbers of thefe two kinds are very
numerous; and it is among!! thefe that we find the traces o f the
greateft art and cunning, as well in attack as in defence. Some,
indeed, ufe main force alone, others employ addrefs and cunning.
Every body is acquainted with the dexterous arts of the fpider,
the curious web he fpins, it’s regular conftruftion, and the central
pofition o f the fpider, in order to watch more effectually the leaf!
motion that may be communicated to it’s tender net. The' art
and hiftory of the formica leo are alfo well known, and a defcrip -
tion of them would lead us too great lengths. Thofe who would
wifh to purfue this fubjeft further, will find much fatisfaftion in
confulting the works of Reaumur and De Geer.
Of thi Habitation of Insects.
■ Infects may be divided, wifh refpeft to their habitations, into
two claffes, aquatic and terreftrial.
Standing waters are generally filled with infefts, who live
therein in different manners. There are, 1. Aquatic infefts which
-remain always on the fuperficies of the water, or which at leaf!
.plunge
plunge themfelves therein but rarely. 2. Others that live only
in the water, and cannot fubfift out of it. 3. Many, after
having lived in the water while in the larva and pupaftate, come
out afterwards with wings, and become entirely terreftrial.
4. Some undergo all their transformations in the water, and then
become amphibious.. 5. Others again are born and grow in the
water, but undergo their pupa ftate on dry land, and after, they
are arrived at their perfeft ftate live equally in air and water.
6. Laftly, there are fome who live at the fame time part in the
water, and part on land, and which after their transformation
ceafe to.be aquatic..
Among the infefts which. remain on the. fuperficies of the
water, are fome fpiders,. which run with great addrefs and
agility, without moiftening their feet or their body; , when they
repofe themfelves,, they extend their feet as much as poflible.
There are alfo aquatic bugs, which fwim, or rather run, on the
water with great velocity, and by troops; another bug walks
very flowly on .the water; the gyrinus moves very fwiftly, and in
circles.. There is a fpecies of podura * which live in fociety, and
are often accumulated together in little black lumps. Thofe infefts
which always .live in the water are generally born with the
figure which they preferve during their whole lives,,-as the mono-
culi, Crabs,, feveral kinds of. water-mites, &c,.
The number o f thofe which, after having, lived in thewater,
leave it when in . a winged ftate, is very great; among thefe we
may reckon the libellula,. the ephemera, the phryganea, culices,
tipulas, and fome fpecies o f mufcte. All .thefe, when in the larva
and
*. De Geer Difcours.fur.les.Infefies, tom. 2, p. 103.