Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-04-25


from their voracity, these may at once be recogniz
ed as the hrvG of the dragon-Ay. The pupa diff
fers from the tdrpd only in possessing rudimentary
wings After living in this manner for few days.
the skin of the pupa is split along the back; the
dragon-hy exricates its legs from their boots, and
its wings out of their coverings; the wings expand
and, as soon as they dry the aquatic lupd, hith
ero destined toprowl about the bottom Of the pond,
enters upon an aerial existence and becomes the
winged tyrant we have before described. There
are mechanical contrivances amongst these lower
animals, that man, after his various efforts finds
himself utterly unable to achieve. One great de-
sideratum in mechanics is to propel boats by fore
ing stream of water at the stern, so as TO dis
pense with the sde-paddles usually employed Man
has failed in doing this; but Nature has not. The
dragon-y, in its ldrUa and pupa conditions, is well
able TO do this 1t possesses cavity in the hinder
parts Of its body, into which water is sucked at
PLEASURE and from which the water can be elected
again in long stream which propels the creature
forward with great velocity, just as the skyrocket
is raised in the air by the stream of fire which is
sues from it.
One etlicISsoection Of the metamorphoses Of in
scots we will select from the dipiera. Who would
imagine the fly | now point to had lived two or
three years in the pupd state, an animal utterly de-
prved of the organs of sense, destitute Of limbs,
and yet able TO be an active nhabtant of the stream
the pond? Where and what is the mechanism
that supplies the place of all the limbs to this crea-
ture 1t u.s. in fact, balloon of Natures own con-
trivance. This creature must breathe; being an
insect, it must breathe air; and yet being idrud
it must be plunged beneath the surface of the wat
er. Round the tail of this creature, the siratyames
there is u magnificent star, formed of movable
arms, radiating from the centre and rows Of hairs
divergng, like plumes of feathers, from those cen
trail stems. The hole by which it breathes is just
at the end of its tail, and from this hole channels
convey the air to this STAR Does it wish to breathe
It makes a float by expanding this beautiful star,
and rising to the surface, it is enabled to breathe
the air. Does it wish to sink? By curling the ra-
dii of this STAR it encloses little ar-bubbe suffi-
cient for its purpose; it carries it with it, and
breathes it as long it chooses and, when it
Wishes again uses it us a float by which once more
to rise to the surface.
The lecturer next said he would put problem
to his auditors, derived from the little gnat that
futtered its little hour in the sunbeam The gnat
lives in the water in its pupa state, and breathes by
n little pipe screwed into its tail: and from this
pipe, channels convey the air through its body
Two or three little pipes in connection with this
are Just sufficient to enable it to keep this pipe
pushed out above the surface of the waters and
thus the gnat breathcs the air, while the body re-
mains in the water But the gnat having no limbs
by which it can crawl out of the water and being
suspended from the end of its tail with its heat
down III the water,-has to make its way out Of the
water as a winged insect, and that under such con
ditions, that if the water were once wet its wings
it would infaliby be destroyed. 1t has to bear it
wings, to drag them out of their SKINS to dry then
before they fit for fight and yet all this is TO b'
done while the gnat is compelled to hang hea'
! downwards and to guard against the penetration o
the surrounding fluid which would be fatal TO it,
it were to get into the interior. Nothing short o
| an abolition of the laws Of Nature is able to over
! come this difficulty. If breathing by our mouth
as we do, we were made for time to breathe, 10
example, by holes between our shoulders instead c
our mouths, it would be very remarkable crcum
stance in our economy. Yet this is done in Nature
and nothing short of this would enable the littl
| gnat to get out of the water. In the idrUd cond
ton, the gnat breathes by means of pipe; and
when it changes to the p,tpd state, it breathes b.
two pipes, screwed or fastened into the thickeS
part of the back so that all the breathing appara
tus must be changed in order that this metamorphC
sis shall take place, and the gnat has to come an
push its back out of the water in order to breathe
But this change accomplishes every thing. Whe
it is about to become winged insect it pushes i
back Just above the surface of the waters the fl
: sure renders the skin more bent, and it become
I converted into little boat, frai indeed, but st
buoyant enough to bear up the gnat which ris,
= above the surface of the water, draws its limbs o.
r Of their sheath, and its wings out Of their case
and, balancing itself few moments upon the lit
g boat which sustains its life spreads its wings to Il
= evening sun, and, as soon as they are dry, leav
the water, fully enabled to enjoy an aerial eXls
G cnce, and TO enter upon its winged state. The
g are things unmaginable, were it not that we fin
S from minute investigations that there are such o
1t eratons going continually in Nature, even
!. order to allow little gnat TO dance few hours
o the breeze!
Is | will not weary you by noticing any other M
+ amorphoscs in the insect world, but draw your
l. tention to a more important topic. The anciel
1T gave up all idea of explaining the phenomena
IA 1aspriha and inuantn1 haoutiful fables
l. answer the purpose. The moderns have done wors
lie for, instead of POLITICALLY invented fables, mode
n philosophers have tried to give and promulgate
III false and absurd explanation. What is the reas
W why insects are obliged to go through these ext
IS ordinary and complicated processes? Insects nj
p grow: they cannot grow when encased in t
o. dense and solid armor. John of Gaunt might
&c well have been supposed to grow while cased
ch his coat of steel, as an insect covered with
tn horny vestment. All the growing, therefore, fir
- the size in which the little being leaves the egg
o. the size which it is destined to attain when it
nd rlyes at maturity, must be done before it is enca
ny in this neXpansible armor Now, here is the
err cret,-the thing to be achieved. Every time
us caterpillar changes its dress and makes its appe
es ance in a coat, find that it is larger c
3D. than the preceding one, and the caterpillar is allC
in ed gradually to expand and dilate till it is of 81
in cient size to become a butterfly But what
he modern entonlologsts? Even the venerable XII
lse ana spence naVe lallen INTO tllS error lney
use you that insects are provided when they leave
zen egg state, with all the skins, one under anotl
lg that they have successfully to throw Off tina
you dissect the caterpillar, you find underneath
skin the chrysaliS and in the chrysais in an ordi
nd ry state, the limbs and skin of the butterfly 7
U.s. seems very well but how is it that the bigl
yet coat is inside the least ? If you put blister
nts the human body, the outer skin is raised cut
es this skin, and another skin is secreted by
ow living skin beneath. A film of great deIicac,
he thus spread over the living bark to defend it.
en- the living skin which forms the film or cuticle
ere it. This article whether delicate as tina
kes the finger of lady, strong and horny that wi
ept covers the feet of the bareiooted wanderer as
inns the hoof Of horse, or as solid as the integun
the Of perfect nsect-is still secretion, produ
to by the living soft skin beneath, for the sake of
nee tecting that soft skin from injury. If by LAY
pe, successive blisters upon the body you were to
by the skin six times and were to say, therefore,
ght man had manifestly six skins, one under the OF