distance from it at a point called the focus, and the eye at the same distance on the opposite side, it will appear to be greatly magnified, or enlarged. A compound microscope is formed of a tube, in which there are placed an object-glass and one or more eye-glasses. The images of objects viewed through these glasses, are magnified a great number of times. By means of the microscope, a vast number of little animals have been discovered, which cannot be seen by the naked eye. It opens a wonderful field of curious objects in the works of creation, and shows some of the minute parts of the world of matter. A solar microscope can only be used in a darkened room when the sun shines. It is composed of a tube, a mirror, a convex lens, and a single microscope. The sun's rays being admitted through a small opening in a door, or window-shutter, are reflected by the mirror through the tube upon the object to be magnified. The image of this object is thence thrown through the convex lens upon a wall, sheet, or other surface at a proper distance. The solar microscope enlarges objects to an almost incredible size; but it cannot be applied to so many purposes as the other two kinds. Thousands and millions of minute objects and living creatures, which cannot be seen by the naked eye, are rendered visible by means of the optical instrument called a microscope. If the power, wisdom, and goodness of God, are displayed to the mind of one who views his handiwork in the hea shutter; tube; what is a tube? Spell enlarges; incredible; define it. Spell purposes; millions; define it. Spell minute; define it. Spell visible; define it. Spell optical; define it. Spell and define displayed planetary; amazing; exhibited; diffusion; myriads; microscope. venly bodies and planetary worlds, as seen through a telescope,-not less amazing and wonderful is the display of the same power, wisdom, and goodness, as exhibited in the diffusion of life and happiness among myriads of the minute parts of his creation, as viewed through the microscope. TRANSFORMATIONS OF INSECTS. ALL winged insects, and many of those which are without wings, have to pass through several changes before they arrive at a state of perfection. A caterpillar is hatched from an egg, laid by the parent some time before. Having jaws and teeth, it soon begins to eat; and grows to be a rough, hairy animal, having fourteen feet. All caterpillars cast or change their skins according to their species; some two, some three, and others four times, or more. A day or two before this change, or casting the skin, occurs, the caterpillars take no food. They seem dull and inactive; and in a while fix themselves in one place, where they bend their bodies, and twist themselves, till they escape from their old skin, and leave it behind them. The skin, after it is cast, remains so entirely the figure of the caterpillar, in the shape of the head, teeth, legs, colour, and hair, that it is often taken for the animal itself. When caterpillars attain their full growth, they pass into another form, called the chrysalis state. When about to change into this condition, they choose a proper place where they may remain unmolested and secure from their enemies. SPELL transformation; define it. Spell winged; several; perfection caterpillar; hatched; rough; fourteen; species; entirely; figure; colours; inactive; awhile; themselves; bodies; growth; attain; they; chrysalis; their; condition: choose; unmolested; define it. Some kinds of caterpillars, such as the silk-worm, and many others, spin silken webs or cocoons round their bodies, and therein conceal themselves. Others leave the plants or trees on which they had fed, and hide themselves in little cells which they make in the earth. Some caterpillars when about to change into the chrysalis state, cover their bodies with a mixture of earth and silk, and hide themselves in a loose soil. Others form a case round their bodies of a kind of gummy matter for protection. Some retire into holes of walls, or other crevices, or into decayed wood, where they may remain secure during their chrysalis sleep. Again, some species suspend themselves to the twigs of trees, or wind themselves up in the leaves. Others attach their tails, by a glutinous matter, to walls, trees, or shrubs, with their heads higher than their bodies, and spin a rope. round their middle to keep them from falling. Many other ingenious and curious methods are used by caterpillars, to protect themselves during this helpless, weak, and inactive chrysalis state; which sometimes continues for eight or nine months, and sometimes only a few weeks, or days. While in this state, the animal eats nothing, is unable to move, and seems not to possess any powers of life. It appears to have neither legs nor wings, nor shape of worm or insect. At a proper season of the year, the case, cocoon, or shield of the chrysalis, is burst asunder, or eaten through by its inhabitant, and the butterfly or winged insect comes forth in all its beauty. Spell enemies; caterpillars; cocoons; therein; conceal; bodies; protection; crevices; decayed; species; suspend; define it. Spell attach; define it. Spell glutinous; ingenious; inactive; continues; neither; shield; chrysalis; define it. Spell asunder; inhabitant; Its members, formerly soft, and folded up in its envelop, now become strong, expanded, and active.. It now has six springy legs, and two or four wings, often of beautiful variegated colours, with which it is able to mount up and fly through the air. Instead of the teeth or pincers of the caterpillar, it now has a trunk, or long proboscis, by which it sucks the sweet juices of the flowers; and, instead of a few smooth eyes, it is now furnished with thousands. Thus, that little animal which, a few months or a few weeks ago, was considered a filthy or hairy worm, on which the delicate eye would loathe to look ;—that which crawled on the earth, and lived on herbage for a season;-that which, when full grown, wound itself up in a cocoon or shield, and became torpid, inactive, and apparently dead, while passing through the wonderful changes of the chrysalis state; that same little animal at length escaped from its curious tomb or shell, and became an insect, clothed with beauty, and furnished with wings and plumage, by means of which it could mount into the air, and fly with rapidity, so as to set at defiance the horse and his rider. But the perfect insect, having thus passed through its various transformations, remains to feed on sweets and flutter in the air but a short time, or a few months at most. It lays its eggs, and leaves them to be hatched by the heat of the weather, to become a new generation of caterpillars the ensuing year, and then dies. butterfly; beauty; envelop; define it. Spell expanded; define it. Spell variegated; define it. Spell pincers; proboscis; define it Spell juices; furnished; delicate; loathe; crawled; generation berbage. NATURAL HISTORY OF BEES. THE working bee, by God instructed, knows A bee-hive is a house for bees to live in. It is sometimes made of straw, but mostly of boards in the form of a box: to which it is easy to add glass windows, through which the bees may be seen at their work. When a swarm, or family of bees is put into a hive, it is composed of three kinds or classes; the queen bee, the drones, and the working bees. Some divide the workers into two classes, called the wax-workers and the nursebees. The queen bee is the mother of the whole family, and she governs all the other bees. But they all appear to love her very much; and they wait upon her with marks of great respect and kindness. They supply her wants, and follow her as a guard wherever she goes. When a swarm of bees enters a new hive which is hollow and empty, they soon want cells or combs in which to raise young bees, and store their honey. These combs are made of wax, which is obtained in this manner: For about fifteen or twenty hours, the wax-workers hang in rows or clusters. from the top of the hive inside, like a string of beads, one clinging to the legs or feet of another. Whne they remain in this quiet state, the wax is formed out of the honey they had eaten, and appears in thin cakes, SPELL bees; instructed; balmy; luscious; swarm; queen; classes guard; wherever; boney; combs; obtained; clinging; scales; edges |