their own weight; the common fly could oars belong to swimmers; when they manage triple that amount. Yet the are short and indented, they are to be flight of insects is so rapid that some can used like shovels and pickaxes by the distance the swallows that pursue them, burrowing tribes. Though the mouths and certain kinds of flies are said to be of insects are formed with the same numable to pass a racehorse or a locomotive going at full speed.

ber of appliances, yet they are adapted to the conditions of each species. By exIf we inquire why the smaller species amining one or two parts of the mouth of are the stronger, the answer may be, that a larva, a naturalist can discover the food their way of life necessitates it. Thus, it lives upon, and the way in which it the hardness of the soil is the same to all partakes of it. Thus, if two caterpillars the burrowers; the grains of sand which of different kinds live on the same plant, the larger can easily, displace are rocks one may attack the leaves from the edge, to the smaller ones; and comparing them the other will perhaps eat the flower-bud; with animals, the mole and the rabbit re- these habits are recognized by indubitquire much less strength to force a pas- able signs when the lips and mandibles sage than the ant. The prodigious leaps are examined. By similar means, the inof the cricket, the locust, and the grass- spection of the foot will decide whether hopper, would in the same proportion the insect walks on leaves, or climbs make a lion spring over half a mile. Not up the stem of the shrub it has chosen less surprising is the power of destruc- for its home. There are some insects tion in certain classes: the termites have undermined whole towns which are now suspended over catacombs; such is the case with Valencia in New Granada; La Rochelle is menaced by the same fate. The larvæ of the sirex pierce through balls of lead with their mandibles. During the Crimean War, packets of cartouches were found, the conical balls of which were perforated in various parts. The little African ant can raise mounds of clay five yards high, and of such solidity that the wild-cattle stand on them to explore the horizon. Such edifices are thousands of times larger than their architects, whilst the pyramid of Cheops is but ninety times the height of man.

Another subject which has engaged the attention of naturalists of late is the strict relation which exists between the habits, manners, and mode of life. in insects, with the conformation of their organs. Mr. Darwin has acknowledged the organic adaptation of species to the condition of existence; but he thinks that, owing to their want of exercise on one side, and natural selection on the other, these organs may undergo deep and hereditary modifications. Thus he explains the want of wings in many coleopterous insects which inhabit the island of Madeira; they lose the habit of flying, because, if they used it, the wind would carry them away into the sea, and the race would soon disappear: thus, winged insects made for flight, can transform themselves, in time, into walkers or swimmers.

If we consider the locomotive organs of insects, it is easy to see that broad members which can be converted into

which lead an idle life, whilst others have one of work and fighting; they are each armed with the necessary appliances for their particular destiny, some having at their extremities nippers, pincers, a saw, an auger, or even a poisoned sword. Looking at the class of spiders, what an arsenal of work and war they possess: the mandibles are scissors, grindstones, lancets; the jaws are trunks and suckers, the lower lip is often a spinning-plate. Their locomotive organs adapt themselves to a number of uses -spades, picks, oars, sometimes ending in rakes, forks, spindles, brushes, and baskets; and all these instruments are of far more delicate conformation than the clumsy tools of man's making. Those kinds that spin, weave an infinite variety of webs; some are closely spun like stuffs, others are nets or simple threads thrown by chance. Here the claws play a principal part; they resemble combs or cards among those which produce the close tissue, and forks in those which weave with a wider mesh.

The eyes of insects, often of enormous dimensions, are of strange optical structure, and marvellously fulfil their varied uses. Those which hunt for their prey have them raised on such an eminence that they can look all around them and see their booty from afar. The one which is always in a hiding-place has its eyes widely disseminated; if its lair be in a tube, they are arranged in front, and the number is diminished; the eyes at the back have disappeared. In others, the position and conformation of the respiratory organs reveal the way of life to which they are accustomed. Fifty years ago

Cuvier said:

sects.

These complex and perfect arrangements astonish us the more because they are in bodies of the smallest dimensions; we naturally think that the organization must be very simple, the intelligence of the lowest type. The dimensions of the whale, or the immense reptiles of the early geological periods, excite our interest; but the attention is not so powerfully attracted by the admirable structure of the fly, and yet the humblest beings furnish precious teachings to the philosopher. It can scarcely be denied that in relation to their intelligence, some of them are superior to the larger animals. They shew a highly developed sense of perception, instincts of wonderful finesse, extraordinary aptitude for all kinds of work; but there is even something more undeniable, marks of higher faculties. These are visible when, in the course of their work, an accident occurs, or an unforeseen obstacle arises: they overcome them and guard against the danger that might arise. At other times, an idle bird profits by the chance which places an old nest in its way, making it habitable by a few easy repairs. So the smaller insects, not acting as simple machines, make choice between a bad and good situation, conceive the idea of sparing their work when they can arrive at the required end without it, and become idle, when they were created for labour. Can we call this instinct only?

"Give me a bone, and I straightway committed to paper, as is also will reconstruct the animal in its entirety." something that may have occurred to any Such science may also be applied to in- one with whom the correspondent is acquainted. Bonnets, young men, and novels, are criticised in an equally impa tial and incisive manner, and a good deal of space is devoted to those who are married, those who are going to be married, and those who, if they are not about to do any such thing, ought to be. Full confession is made of the sentiments with which the correspondent regards her acquaintances male and female, and matrimony is frequently discussed in a most original fashion. It is taken for granted that the matter contained in these epistles is what has been confided to no other living soul, and that, therefore, it is only intended to meet the eye of one person. Indeed, the notes are presumed to be the outward expression of the writer's innermost thoughts, and are to be valued accordingly. The letters are frequently written at intervals which, considering their length, speaks very well for the industry of the writers. When not forced to resort to letter-writing as a means of sustaining their friendship, the young ladies ostentatiously seek each other's society, which, they show by unmistakable signs, they value more than the company of any one else. They like to hold themselves aloof from their fellows, to take solitary walks together, and to make each other innumerable presents. But, as might be anticipated, the thing does not last, and there are very few such friendships among women who have passed their twenty-fifth year. Marriage is the first break, and an irreparable one it is. The attempt may be made to keep up the sentimental friendship, and for a time it may succeed, but the appearance is deceptive, and ultimately the attempt breaks down ; gradually the intimacy ATTEMPTS are frequently made on the grows less intimate, the confidences fewer part of people to constitute everlasting and of comparatively minor importance. friendships which shall be signalized by This, perhaps, may be owing to the fact complete confidence upon both sides. that the wife makes a confidant of her Young ladies, on the point of leaving husband, in which case she of course does school, are peculiarly subject to this sort not require to make one of a friend, for of thing, and many are the vows they ex- though it is almost a necessity for some change of undying affection for each oth- people to find a ready ear into which er. When separated they maintain their to pour the story of their hopes, their friendship through the medium of the fears, their disappointments, their plans, penny post, and great is the expenditure and their proceedings, they do no not feel of ink and paper. Their letters, which the want of more than one such receptaare generally crossed upon three or four cle. In plain terms, every ordinary indipages, and are thereby rendered almost vidual must have a confidant, but very few, undecipherable, are full of italicized words indeed, require to have two. So, with and expressive adjectives. Anything that marriage comes the first break in a friendhas happened to a correspondent is ship such as that which we have described.

From The Liberal Review.
DECAYING FRIENDSHIPS.

By-and-by, the separation between the their husband is one of the most extraorquondam friends becomes more marked, dinary men in existence and possesses and it is by no means a rare case for them the rare virtue of entertaining due affecin time to almost completely forget each tion and respect for his wife; and other other. Looking back upon their lives, similar matters of an equally important most women must remember some bosom and interesting character. But these friend whom they now know not at all, or elderly friends make no pretence of being knowing them, are merely upon bowing bound up in one another; they steer terms. Young men, never so earnest clear of lengthy correspondence; and in their friendships, are almost as fickle. they do not mourn that is to say, beDrawn together, in the first instance, yond indulging in a few hackneyed conprobably by a fondness for the same ventionalities when they fail to see sports, the same studies, and the same each other except at rare intervals. Havmodes of life generally, they quietly drop ing their own families and interests to asunder as their tastes and ways of ex-look after, they virtually concede that isting change. Sometimes they quarrel. they have no time for elaborate friendBut, whatever may be the cause or causes ships. This is, of course, when they are of their separation, it is a fact that com- married. When they are single, the case paratively few friendships contracted in is slightly different, and it not unfreearly life continue true to the last. It quently happens that spinsters knock-up may be said, indeed, that it is the excep- a species of lasting friendship. They go tion rather than the rule for them to do so. nowhere except in each other's company, And yet, if a man does not make friends and they co-operate in each other's when he is young, the probability is that schemes, whether it be one for the foundhe will never do so, for, after he is well ing of a blanket club or one for the adup in years, circumstances arise which vancement of the principles of the Worender the task more difficult. men's Rights Association. They, perThe friendships formed by people after haps, say hard things of each other, they, they have passed their thirtieth year are probably, repeat these matters, with sunby no means so sentimental, so ostenta- dry elaborations, behind each other's tiously thorough, as those contracted backs, but they never regularly quarrel. when people are younger. Middle-aged If Miss A is maligned, Miss B is quick men make little, if any attempt, at being to resent the affront, and let Miss A know confidential towards each other. Their what has been said of her, which last act converse instead of being of a personal is, however, a somewhat questionable character is principally upon politics, the- kindness. The two keep together, and ology, and business, seasoned by a certain that is the main thing. It is a small matamount of gossip. Matured women on the other hand, are more confidential, but they are not so demonstrative and gushing as girls just out of their teens. They do not make protestations of eternal affection. Still, they tell as much as they know and learn as much as they can about their neighbours and their affairs, and discuss matrimony and dress in a manner which shows how much they rel- There is, then, very little really genuine ish doing so. Properly prompted, they friendship. The present constitution of will, too, enlarge upon their own affairs. society is unfavourable to its growth. Into sympathetic ears they will pour the When everything is artificial, and everystory of how their first-born, as fine a thing is conducted upon the high pressure youth as ever lived, is developing certain principle, it is impossible for it to flourcharacteristics calculated to cause his ish. We may regret this, but the best guardians serious inconvenience; how thing is at once to admit the truth.

ter that their motives for so doing are found, when fairly analyzed, not to be purely disinterested, but that they culti vate each other's society for the want of better, and because it is among the necessities of their nature that they should have some willing ear to pour scandal into, and some ready tongue to amuse them in like manner.

MDME. Andryane, whose death was recorded | prisons. Mdme. Andryane and her sister, by the Paris papers lately, was the sister-in-law Mdme. Baudin, were daughters of Merlin of of Andryane, well-known as the companion of Douai, who was a member of the Convention Silvio Pellico, and it was to her intercession and a colleague with Barras in the Directory. that he owed his liberation from the Austrian Pall Mall

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