gay and joyous the days of your light and prosperity, the days of darkness are coming, if not the darkness of an early grave, the darkness and decrepitude of old age, when earthly pleasures will have lost the power to please, and when nothing can impart consolation and dignity, but a portion in God. "The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness," Prov. xvi. 31, and that is a truly venerable and dignified character, who can appeal, with the Psalmist, "O God, thou hast taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also, when I am old and grey-headed, O God, forsake me not," Psalm lxxi. 17, 18. Such having been in youth "planted in the house of the Lord," and having through active life "flourished in the courts of our God, shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing, to shew that the Lord their rock is upright, and there is no unrighteousness in him," Psalm xcvii. 13-15.

The Beetle.

This insect is mentioned only Lev. xi. 22, among the creatures permitted to the Israelites for food. It probably then signifies some kind of locust, as we can scarcely conceive that any of the class of creatures which we call beetles, could be designed as food.

The Moth, including the Caterpillar. This is a very numerous tribe, comprehending, in all its varieties, about one-third of the insect race. These insects pass through various gradations: when first excluded from the egg, they assume the form of a

small crawling caterpillar, which feeds voraciously and grows rapidly, often changing its skin, but still preserving its form. After a while it discontinues its eating, makes itself a covering or husk, in which it remains wrapped up, seemingly without life or motion; in this state it is called an aurelia, or chrysalis, and after having for a time continued in this state, it once more bursts its confinement, and comes forth a beautiful moth or butterfly.

Caterpillars may be easily distinguished from worms or maggots by the number of their feet, which are from eight to sixteen, and by their uniformly producing butterflies or moths. These feet are placed both before and behind; by this admirable provision they are enabled to form for themselves a kind of elastic steps, by which they can climb up vegetables, and stretch themselves out from the boughs and stalks, to reach their food at a distance. On attaining the perfection of their nature, butterflies and moths may be always distinguished from other flying insects by their wings, which are rendered opaque, and beautifully variegated, by being covered with a painted dust, which, under microscopic inspection, evidently appears to be most delicately wrought feathers. The wings of flies are transparent like lacework, and those of beetles are bard like horn.

Most caterpillars are excluded from the egg early in spring, and find their favourite aliment provided in abundance to meet their wants. They go through their various changes during the summer, in the autumn

deposit their eggs in a suitable place, and, having thus provided for a succession of their species, die before winter. Others go into their aurelia state in the autumn, and remain in that torpid state till spring, then burst forth into the moth or butterfly.

Other caterpillars do not make any change at the approach of winter, but live in their reptile state through the severity of the season. Caterpillars of this kind are generally found in great numbers together, enclosed in one web, which serves to protect them from the injuries of the air, and in which they remain without food, insensible and motionless as if dead, until the warmth of the sun invites them forth to new life and activity.

There are also some whose butterflies live all the winter: after having fluttered about for some time during the autumn, they seek a retreat for the winter, and are often found apparently lifeless, in the hollows of trees or clefts of timber, but on the return of the genial season, or earlier if exposed to artificial warmth, they recover their animation, flutter about, seek their companions, and propagate their race. Even these little depised insects display striking proofs of the great Creator's wisdom and kindness, in the instincts with which He has endowed them, and the abundant provision He has made for them.

The caterpillar is most voracious in its appetite, daily consuming double its own weight of leaves, and its existence is just coeval with the plants on which it most delights to feed.