The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-07-17
About Insects.

Golden grasShOppers were worn proud =
~ by the Athenians in token that they
sprang direct from mother earth. The
ladybrd has probably received moro pet
names than any other insect. 1t has
been called in different countries the
bishop i}arnabee, Bird Of our Lady,
Vache dc Dieu, Marien Thierlein,
Mancho de st. Jean. and Johannis
Wurmchen. In Pagan times it was
honored as Freya's Bird. cit is said to
nave received the name of Marien Thier-
lem from the monks, who knew that it
fed on aphides, enemies of their hops
and vines, and therefore protected it
among the peasants by dedicating it to
lhe 'Flrgln:" Some say the ladybird
was SO called because it appeared about
tne time OF the Feast of the Publication;
others, because it is SO often to be found
on the white lily. Is there any expla-
nation OF the lines with which children
aodrcss this pretty little creature
Laiybird ladybrd, fly away home
your house Is OH fire. your children are gone
or any reason why this insect and the
unoifending snail (callcd in some remote
parts by the queer name Of snarlcypo.r)
should be SO rudely told of their domcS
TIC DereavemcntS, or threatened with
corporeal punishment? as in the similar
nursery doggcrel -
Snail, snail, come ont OF your hole,
Or else III beat you AZ black as Il coal
And
Snail, snail, come ont Of your she'll
Your father AMI mother are dead;
Your br thcr ami sis'er are ut the back door
begging for bar.cy bread.
L.,
Known villains of our childhood, when
we listen with painful fascination to the
story or his dcccitful invitations to the
glddy fly-S he fills always prominent
part amongst the insects of history, but
except IN nursery or fairy lore, he is
usually person of excellent character.
anu rather 10 be initiated than aDhOmcd.
The name of Arachne given TO the
spider family is taken from an old Grcnl;
legend of 4 l.ydian maiden of that name
daughter of Il famous dyer in the town
OF ColophOn, who was Il drXtcr0us
weaver, and SO proud of her proficiency
i'll the art that she dared to challenge
Athena to compete with her. Arachne
produced piece Of cloth SO beautiful
that no fault could be found with it, and
the angry goddess tore the web to pieces.
The girl in disappointment hung herself,
but Athena looScncd the rome and
changed it to Il coDweb, while she turn
ed Arachnc into a spider, the insect
most 0diOus to herself.
This fable seems to suggest the idea
that man learnt the art of weaving from
Lyula. y = - .','n--t a. - :, .AN
The many taantelles, which short
time ago were fashionable rs pianoforte
pieces, are SO called from Il species of
spider, the tarantula, which gained its
name from Tamntem, where it is chiefly
found. II was formerly much dreaded,
and the symptoms produced by its bite
were compared to those Of hydrophobia,
which procured for it the name of the
mad spider.
Old authors claim that those who
were bitten by it fell into a profound
Stupor, or were seized with commissions.
Tor which music was Il sovereign remedy,
by inducing them to dance, which they
did till they were exhausted. and fell
down SclSclCSS. One learned gentleman
went SO far as to write Il treatise. IN
which he set down the airs best suited
to effect cure; but others maintain
That it was only idle and worthless per-
sons, seeking an excuse for dancing and
asking aims, who said they had been
bitten.
We have left until the last that love-
licst of all insccts-thc buttcrlly-which,
III its three phases Of eXiStence-the
carth-bounti caterpillar, the siroudcd
sensecss chrysalis, and then the more
perfect creature, soaring upwards on it's
neW-found wings---So marvclollsly rep
rcscnts our own lfc-history. For this
reason the butterfly, and also the dragon
fly (Which passes through n similar
series of changes), were useu by the
monks to decorate the illuminated Dor
ders Of their missals. Amongst the
hcathcn the soul was often represented
as butterfly, escaping from the lips at
death. Iii Christian times it has been
rather as an emblem Of the resurrection
,, that this ill StratiOn is used.
Butt ,, wings were given to the
Made ''r. and in the story of her
love, .u.u ) rrows, it is not difficult
to rec re '. idea Of which it is
| merely vac mythical embodiment; for
Psyche is evidently tho human soul,
which is purified by passions and mis-
fortunes, and is thus prepared for the
enjoyment of true and pure happiness.