in water which has been rendered turbid by milk, or coloured with indigo, and then suddenly removed into a more limpid fluid, a jet of the coloured water will be seen to issue from the anal extremity of the libellula, to the extent sometimes of several inches; at the same time the force with which the column is ejected propels the insect in the opposite direction, by virtue of the resistance with which it meets. Hence it appears that it is by means of its respiratory system that the creature walks-a strange and anomalous combination of functions in one organ.

If the insect be taken out of the water, held with its head downwards, and a few drops of that fluid poured on its tail, that which was a mere point will immediately open and display a cavity; at the same time the

body of the insect, which was before flat, will be ob served to be enlarged and inflated, and if held up to the light, semi-transparent: moreover, something solid will appear to be displaced by the water, and driven towards the head. This solid mass will shortly descend, obscure the transparency of the lower portion of the body of the insect, lessen its diameter, and, when it does so, a jet of water will issue from the vent. It is clear, then, that the abdomen of the libellula is a syringe, the piston of which being drawn up, of course the pressure of the fluid fills up the vacuum, and, when pushed down, expels the water. To ascertain the fact, Reaumur held the insect in his hand, and when he saw its body inflated, cut it immediately with a pair of scissors, and found it unoccupied with solids. He watched when the jet of water was expelled in another, and as soon as the body was darkened and lessened in diameter, he clipped it, and found the cut portion occupied by solids. There is no doubt, then, that the abdomen contains a

moveable piston, and this piston is composed of the air tubes. There are four of these longitudinal trunks,

although two only are represented, they terminate in innumerable smaller ones, and, according to Reaumur perform the functions of respiration, as well as locomotion, in the ways detailed.

After the voracious creature has lain in ambuscade, devouring the larvæ of the gnat and other aquatic insects, till its appointed hour of change, it leaves its natal element for the shore, to undergo its last metamorphosis: for this purpose it usually fastens itself to some friendly plant, and begins the important process which is to convert an aquatic animal into an inhabitant of the air.

Any person who should at this period choose to seize a number of them, and, taking them into his chamber, fix them to a bit of tapestry, would be rewarded for his trouble by witnessing the conversion of an aquatic into an aerial insect.

It may easily be seen by the eyes of the nymph whether it is about to change its form; for, instead of remaining tarnished and opaque, they suddenly become, transparent and brilliant. This change is owing to the visual organ of the perfect insect, which is amazingly lustrous shining through the mask of the nymph. If the eye of the nymph be removed, that of the perfect insect may be seen beneath. As soon as the nymph has

fixed itself to any object by means of its claws, the first sign of the commencing metamorphosis is a rent in the upper skin, extending along the corslet to the head. When it approaches this latter part, another rent, perpendicular to the first, runs across the face from eye to eye. These rents are brought about by a power which the insect possesses of inflating its body and head. This last organ, ultimately destined to become fixed and solid, is at this period capable of contraction and dilatation, like a membrane.

The head and corslet being exposed, the legs are drawn out from their nymphine cases. At this period every part of the insect is soft. The four figures below illustrate its mode of exit.

In the first (fig. 1,) it is partially out; in the second (fig. 2,) after having protruded itself thus far, it hangs with its head downwards, and remains motionless, so

as to lead the observer to believe that the efforts which it had hitherto made had exhausted its strength, and that it had thus perished in the act of being born. However, it remains in this position just so long as to permit its body and limbs to be hardened and dried by the air, and then it reverses it to that of fig. 3, forming an arch; this enables the insect to draw out its tail from the mask.

When it has just cast off that tenement in which it had till now existed, the body of the libellula is soft, has not attained its full length, and the wings are still folded. It remains, therefore, tranquil and motionless till these important operations have taken place, which are finished sooner or later, according to the heat or moisture of the atmosphere. The operation may be completed in a quarter of an hour, or take up several hours, according to circumstances. The wings unfold themselves in every direction;-it is supposed that this curious mechanical effect is brought about by means of the fluids, which rush into and distend them; for they remain drooping as wet paper if the insect die in the act of metamorphosis; so that something more than drying is necessary. During the time that the wings, from being shrivelled and flexible, are becoming firm and glistening as talc, the dragon-fly takes care not to allow even its own body to obstruct their expansion in the proper direction, and for this purpose bends it from them, as in fig. 4: for if they took a wrong fold at this moment, they would for ever retain the deformity. Provision is even made to prevent the wings from coming in contact with each other; for, instead of being all in the same horizontal plane, as they subsequently are they are perpendicular to the insect, and thus ranged side by side.

The 8th No. of Harper's Family Library, is devoted to the Natural History of Insects. To this work we are indebted for the highly interesting account of the Dragon-fly given above.

Our pleasures are, for the most part, short, false, and deceitful; and like drunkenness, revenge the jolly madness of one hour, with the sad repentance of many.

A GREENLANDER'S REMARKS ON THE BEING OF GOD. Tom Crantz's History of Greenland, vol. i, p. 188, &c.

A Missionary, being in company with some baptized Greenlanders, expressed his wonder how they could formerly lead such useless lives. One of them replied as follows:- "It is true we were ignorant heathen, and knew nothing of God, or a Saviour; and indeed who should tell us of him till you came? But thou must not suppose that no Greenlander thinks about these things. I myself have often thought,-A kajak or boat, with all its tackle, could not come of itself, but must be made with great labour and skill, and one that does not understand it would- directly spoil it. Now the meanest bird requires more skill to form it than a kajak; and no man can make a bird. But there is still greater art in making a man,-who was it that made him? I thought, he proceeded from his parents, and they from their parents; but some must have been the first parents: whence did they come? Common report says, they grew out of the earth. But if so, why do not men still grow out of the earth? And from whence did this same earth itself, the sea, the sun, moon, and stars come? Certainly some being must have made all these; and he must be greater, wiser, and more knowing than the wisest man. He must be very good too; because every thing that he has made is good, useful, and