The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-02-11
Tiresome Insects.

II PROBABLY the am, altnOugn tnat exaS-
perating pattern of all the virtues is
closely rivaled by the coral insect. Ever
since the time of King Solomon, and
probably from a still earlier period,
solemn and wearisome moralists have
urged their fellow beings to 90 to the ant,
and learn industry, business habits, an
cient and modern languages, and the
use of the globes from that wretched
little insect. By implication we have all
been assured that we are far inferior by
nature than the ant, and that we can
never become valuable citizens unless we
initiate ants. After a few thousand
years this sort of thing has become pain
fully tiresome. Undoubtedly the ant has
its virtues, but after all it is an immense
ly oyerrated insect. 1t works industri-
ously, but it also works unnecessarily
and in circumstances which prove that
it lacks good Judgment 1t Keeps cows,
or insects to that effect, and supplies it
self with pure currant-bush country
milk, but unless it is every mans duty
to keep his own cow, of what value is
the example of the ant in this respect?
Sir John Lubbock assures US that the
ants have a religion, and that they wor
ship black beetle. Surely; no worse
example could be set before Christian
people thanis afforded by the gross pag-
anism of the ants. So weary has the
public become of being unceremoniously
sent to the ant that there is now a grow
ing disposition to refuse 10 have anything
TO do with ants, and to regard them as
little better than crawling npisances.
The coral insect has also been upheld
rs model of industry, and boys who
have shown a tendency to shirk their
studies have been required to take mo-
tice that the coral insect can build an en-
tire island by working at it for a few
million years, and that this thrilling fact
ought to make boys willing to study a
particularly hard lesson for at least 3, 900
or 1000 years before they become dis
couraged and inform the teachers that
the lesson is too hard. The coral insect
has also been logged into literature and
sermons to an extent that is simply mad
dening, and that creates thirst for
blood in the man who reads for the ten
thousandth time of the infinitesimal ma
son of the Pacific reefs. Moreover, the
coral insect has lent his assistance to
overthrow Usher's chronology, aud. is
who wish to prove that it must have
taken 1000, 900 years for the coral in
sects Of Florida to build a reef over, the
remains of an India rubber boot or other
undoubted relic of primeval man. On
the whole, the coral insect, if possibly
less tiresome than the ant, is more in
furious to the peace of mind and happi-
ness Of mankind - ises
Efforts have been made from time to
time by designing moralists to elevate
the bee to level with the coral insect
and the ant. DIR. Watts admirably asks
chow doth the little busy bee,' and ex-
poets his readers to answer in terms of
high commentator of that insect; while
naturalists are never tired of telling us
that the hexagonal cell of the bee IS
marvel of mechanical skill They never
seem to notice that the bee is utterly in
capable of inventing even the simplest
hive, and has to depend upon man both
for hives and for the introductionsof
honey into the market, As for DIR. Watts,
if bee had only stnng him on hisyen-
cradle nose he would have had an en-
tirely different opinion of what is proba-
Ny one ofthe most yiciouS violent and
Objectionable insects every l,atronized
by mistaken and tedious moralists.
Whatever obligations we may oweito
Charles Darwin as an ingenious and en-
tertaining naturalist, he has forfeited
them all by his late attempt to provide
us with new pattern of perfectionin
the shape of the earth-worm. He has
written a whole volume in praise of that
hitherto despised animal. Accordingsto
Mr. Darwin, the earth-worm is far more
industrious and intelligent than the ant,
the coral insect and the bee; and hence
forth moralists will constantly be send
ing us to the earth-worm. 1t appears
that the earth-worm, who bores his way
through the ground by swallowing the
earth In his path, was the original b.
ventor of the system Of propelling yes
sells by pumping in water at the bow
and pumping it out again at the stem.
The amount of work done by the worms
in excavating the earth is enormous, but
their favorite occupation is burying
ruined cities. 1t has always been a mys-
terry how the remains of Roman
and Grecian cities have been buried SEEM
ingly without attracting the attention of
man, Mr.. Darwin shows that the earth
worn has been the sexton of archaeology.
When. the worms find large stone, a
fallen column, or an abandoned iro.i pot
living in field. they proceed 10 Under
mine it BY digging away the earth under-
meath it, while at the same time they
bring immense quantities Of earth to TT
surface and deposit il nearthe edge Of tie
object to be buned. Asa CONSEQUENCE,
the object sinks slowlyinto te ground.