MOTHS AS SLEEPERS.

325

Those who are in the habit of ever thinking at all about things not present to their sight, may sometimes wonder what has become, in broad daylight, of the numerous moths which they may have seen flitting in the warm twilight of the evening before. A good number of them will never so flit again (unless in the shape of ghosts), because, in fulfilment of their being's end, their bodies have served to pack the craw of some rapacious dor-hawk, or bat, or fern-owl; but the more fortunate survivors-making to themselves a night in noon-day— are to be found on the gloomy north of trunks of trees, or beneath their leafy coverts, enwrapped in what appears to us like slumber; their wings overlapping,-very rarely, like the butterfly's, erectly folded; their antennæ curiously curled. Sometimes, as if in veritable sleep, they will fall from their green couches like a shower of blossoms, when the bough they occupy is shaken. Of this the little green moths of the oak have been adduced as a familiar instance; but others, as though their open-eyed repose were lighter or more fictitious than any cattish slumber, will fly off alert and active on the flutter of a bird, the sound of a foot-fall, or the rustle of a leaf.

With regard to one habit, that of feeding, our fainéant flutterers widely differ. We have given a notion of the luxurious labours, in this way, of the honey-sipping "hawks" and sphinxes; and we have seen a r moth suck sugar for two hours on a stretch, dissolving it from the lump by a liquid let

down through the tubular pipe wherewith he drew it up in syrup. Réaumur speaks of others which regaled on sweets from off his finger, "comme aurait pu faire un oiseau privé."

To many, on the contrary, of the moth fraternity, eating would seem a thing not only undesired, but absolutely forbidden, by the absence of any perceptible organ wherewith to eat. It is thus, amongst others, with the "Great Goat," the "Emperor," and the moth of the silk-worm, which latter, besides having no tongue to use, seldom takes the trouble to employ his wings.

Thus is the most noted and useful of all "Moth Operatives," of all" Moth Idlers" one of the most pre-eminently lazy.

December, 1849.

LIST OF WORKS

PRINCIPALLY ON

NATURAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE,

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY

REEVE, BENHAM, AND REEVE,

KING WILLIAM STREET, STRAND.

I.

PANTHEA, THE SPIRIT OF NATURE. BY ROBERT HUNT, Author of The Poetry of Science.' One vol. 8vo. 10s. 6d.

"The object of the author of this singular work is to show the difficulties which an inquiring mind has to encounter wheu searching for truth through the various systems of modern philosophy. Throughout, ample opportunities are afforded for conveying scientific information in a popular form, and these have been liberally and well embraced by the author."-Athenæum.

"A brave attempt to range from the elemental to the universal, and from the known to the unknown."-Literary Gazette.

"There is, throughout, the closeness of matter and eloquence of style which distinguished the 'Poetry of Science.' "—Spectator.

II.

A REVIEW OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION OF 1848, from the 24th of February to the Election of the First President. By CAPTAIN CHAMIER, R.N. Two vols. 8vo. 21s.

"Much as we have heard about the French Revolution, this dashing account, from the pen of an eye-witness of no common talent or powers of description, will gratify no small share of public curiosity."—Literary Gazette.

"Books like Captain Chamier's, full of information on every point relative to the Revolution, with little comment or philosophy, are the very things we want. The writer was on the spot during the whole time, or nearly so, his curiosity drove him abroad on every occasion-he inquired into everything-listened to everything-noted everything. In consequence he has produced by far the most interesting work on the subject we have seen. It will be read with avidity as a graphic, most amusing and exciting sketch, overflowing with incident and anecdote."-Atlas.

2

WORKS PUBLISHED BY

"We unaffectedly say this is one of the most interesting and important works which has of late issued from the press, and we congratulate the Historian in having, in this last creation of his genius, added much to the literary reputation he so deservedly enjoys."- Morning Post.

Among the various Histories or Reviews that have appeared on the subject of the French Revolution, Captain Chamier's is the best we have met with, as regards freshness and readableness. During the Revolution and its subsequent events, the author seems to have been everywhere. He exhorted the National Guards to energetic action before the throne was overturned, and entered the Tuileries with the mob. In the contest of June he penetrated the fighting quarters, and carried a despatch to Cavaignac and the National Assembly. He was a visitor of the clubs, an habitué of the Chambers, a spectator of every sight, and in the thickest of every émeute."-Spectator.

III.

EPISODES OF INSECT LIFE. Second Series.

Crown 8vo.

Beautifully illustrated and bound, 168. Coloured and bound extra, gilt back, sides, and edges, 218.

IV.

EPISODES OF INSECT LIFE. First Beautifully illustrated and bound, 168. extra, gilt back, sides, and edges, 218.

Series. Crown 8vo.
Coloured and bound

"Professor Nichol has done much to make astronomy a lightsome science; Mr. Miller of Edinburgh has thrown the influence of eloquent and powerful writing around the fishes and fossils of the old red sandstone. Neither, however, has produced a work equal in the particular above mentioned to the 'Episodes of Insect Life."-Tait's Edinburgh Magazine.

"The whole pile of Natural History-fable, poetry, theory, and fact-is stuck over with quaint apophthegms and shrewd maxims deduced, for the benefit of man, from the contemplation of such tiny monitors as gnats and moths. Altogether the book is curious and interesting, quaint and clever, genial and well informed."- Morning Chronicle.

"We have seldom been in company with so entertaining a guide to the Insect World."-Athenæum.

"Rich veins of humour in a groundwork of solid yet entertaining information. Although lightness and amusement can find subject-matter in every page, the under-current of the 'Episodes' is substance and accurate information."-Ladies' Newspaper.

"A history of many of the more remarkable tribes and species, with a graphic and imaginative colouring, often equally original and happy, and accompanied both by accurate figures of species and ingenious fanciful vignettes."-Annual Address of the President of the Entomological Society.

REEVE, BENHAM, AND REEVE.

V.

3

THE POETRY OF SCIENCE; or, Studies of the Physical Phenomena of Nature. By ROBERT HUNT, Author of 'Panthea,'

.

'Researches on Light.'

rected, with Index.

Second Edition. Revised and cor

*

*

All the great forces of Nature-gravitation, heat, light, electricity, magnetism, and affinity—are successively treated of by Mr. Hunt, and their unity and dependence illustrated. It is this which will make his work popular, as it is not encumbered with heavy details or specious pretensions of learning. A book well calculated to promote a taste for the studies of nature. Much too good to be classed as a Christmas book, it would nevertheless form an admirable present at this coming season of gifts."-Athenæum.

"We know of no work upon science which is so well calculated to lift the mind from the admiration of the wondrous works of creation to the belief in, and worship of, a First Great Cause. * One of the most readable epitomes of

*

the present state and progress of science we have yet perused."-Morning Herald. The design of Mr. Hunt's volume is striking and good. The subject is very ably dealt with and the object very well attained; it displays a fund of knowledge, and is the work of an eloquent and earnest man."-The Examiner.

*One vol. 8vo. Price 128.

VI.

THE NATURAL HISTORY OF IRELAND. By WILLIAM THOMPSON, Esq., President of the Natural History and Philosophical Society of Belfast. Vols. I. & II.-BIRDS.

"Our readers, if once they get hold of this volume, [Vol. I.] will not readily lay it down; for while habits are dwelt upon in a manner so amusing that we have known extracts to be read aloud to a delighted circle of children, it contains the precise information which the ornithologist demands, and brings forward topics both of popular and scientific interest, such as the geographical distribution of species, the causes which seem to operate on their increase and decrease, their migrations, their uses to man, the occasional injuries they inflict, and the important benefits they confer. The space we have devoted to this volume tells, more plainly than any commendation we could employ, our high approbation of its merits. It is a STANDARD WORK, and will rank with those of our first ornithologists."-Dublin Quarterly Journal of Medical Science.

* * *

** 8vo. Vol. 1. Price 16s. Vol. 2. nearly ready.

*

VII.

HIMALAYAN PLANTS RECENTLY

Dr. JOSEPH DALTON HOOKER, F.R.S.

DISCOVERED by

Edited by SIR W. J.

HOOKER, F.R.S. Second Series. Imp. folio.

**For opinions of the Press on FIRST SERIES, see next work.