Nature's Wonder-workers: Being Some Short Life-histories in the Insect World |
From inside the book
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Page 12
... species . There are sometimes as many as 1,200 facets , or separate reflect- ing surfaces , for each insect . To the thorax are attached three pairs of legs , each armed with sharp claws ; and in the case of males and females , two ...
... species . There are sometimes as many as 1,200 facets , or separate reflect- ing surfaces , for each insect . To the thorax are attached three pairs of legs , each armed with sharp claws ; and in the case of males and females , two ...
Page 14
... species are built to form a dome , and are familiarly known as ant - hills . Some of these struc- tures have been seen in England to rise almost to the height of a hay - cock ; while travellers in South America describe ant - hills of ...
... species are built to form a dome , and are familiarly known as ant - hills . Some of these struc- tures have been seen in England to rise almost to the height of a hay - cock ; while travellers in South America describe ant - hills of ...
Page 17
... species , however , form different dwellings . Here , for instance , stands the decaying trunk of It is in itself a tree . lifeless . But when we put on our spec- tacles and peer into the cracks and crevices , what do we find ? Why ...
... species , however , form different dwellings . Here , for instance , stands the decaying trunk of It is in itself a tree . lifeless . But when we put on our spec- tacles and peer into the cracks and crevices , what do we find ? Why ...
Page 18
... species of Australian ants . They form their nests of the leaves of trees , which are first brought into the desired position by the united strength of multitudes , and are then stuck together with home - made glue . In giving examples ...
... species of Australian ants . They form their nests of the leaves of trees , which are first brought into the desired position by the united strength of multitudes , and are then stuck together with home - made glue . In giving examples ...
Page 23
... species of our friends , the ants , have so given themselves over to laziness and the indulgence of their bodies , by keep- ing slaves to wait on them , that they have lost even the power of feeding themselves . This species pretend to ...
... species of our friends , the ants , have so given themselves over to laziness and the indulgence of their bodies , by keep- ing slaves to wait on them , that they have lost even the power of feeding themselves . This species pretend to ...
Common terms and phrases
abdomen animal ant's nest antennæ ants aphides aphis appear appetite beautiful beetle birds body butterflies carry caterpillar cells CHAPTER chrysalis chrysis COCHINEAL INSECTS cockchafers cockroaches colours comb compound eyes cord cricket Daddy DADDY LONG-LEGS death delicate deposit DEVIL'S COACH-HORSE devour dwelling earth earwig eggs elytra enemies existence eyes feed female flea flies flowers fluid gall gnats grub habits hatched head hive holes honey ichneumon inch instinct kind labour lady lady-bird LARVA larvæ lays leaves legs light little creature little grub live looking magnified male mandibles MOLE CRICKET mother mygale Nature never nourishment object offspring ovipositor pair perfect insect perhaps plants produce pupa covering queen round seen shape shining side silken skin sometimes species spider spinning spiracles sting suck surface termites terrible things thorax tiny trees tubes turn wasp wherein wing-covers wings wonderful workers young
Popular passages
Page 285 - Quaff fragrant nectar from their cups of gold. There shall thy wings, rich as an evening-sky, Expand and shut with silent ecstasy! —Yet wert thou once a worm, a thing that crept On the bare earth, then wrought a tomb and slept. And such is man; soon from his cell of clay To burst a seraph in the blaze of day!
Page 192 - Some to the sun their insect-wings unfold, Waft on the breeze, or sink in clouds of gold; Transparent forms, too fine for mortal sight, Their fluid bodies half dissolv'd in light.
Page 192 - While every beam new transient colours flings, Colours that change whene'er they wave their wings. Amid the circle, on the gilded mast, Superior by the head, was Ariel...
Page 44 - And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he epake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.
Page 270 - All Nature is but art, unknown to thee All chance, direction, which thou canst not see; All discord, harmony not understood; All partial evil, universal good: And, spite of pride, in erring reason's spite, One truth is clear, Whatever is, is right.
Page 91 - Nature! great parent! whose unceasing hand Rolls round the Seasons of the changeful year, How mighty, how majestic, are thy works!
Page 182 - Since ghost there is none to affright thee. Let not the dark thee cumber ; What though the moon does slumber? The stars of the night Will lend thee their light, Like tapers clear without number.
Page 84 - Therefore doth heaven divide The state of man in divers functions, Setting endeavour in continual motion ; To which is fixed, as an aim or butt, Obedience : for so work the honey-bees, Creatures that by a rule in nature teach The act of order to a peopled kingdom.
Page 214 - Scared from the shallows by my passing tread. Dimpling the water glides, with here and there A glossy fly, 'skimming in circlets gay The treacherous surface, while the quick-eyed trout Watches his time to spring...
Page 265 - So, naturalists observe, a flea Has smaller fleas that on him prey; And- these have smaller still to bite 'em, And so proceed ad infinitum.