LETTER XVJ.

FELICLI To CONSTANCE. S/rubbcry

PEArL CONSTANCE,

'1E HE next genus, Pediculus, presents a variety of insects that are the annoyance of man, beasts, birds, and even insects themselves; each race of creatures owning one or more species peculiar to their kind, and. proving that animated beings teem in every part of nature. You will easily perceive that I am speaking of the Louse, a creature I would willingly have passed in silence, could I have done so without rendering my work incomplete. 1 shall, at any rate, avoid a description of a creature that you may have seen, though with disgust. It will be sufficient to say, that those which lurk in the hair, are harder and higher coloured than such as prey upon the other parts of the body.

Ihiis noisome insect proceeds from the egg complete, and multiplies in a most rapid prom portion. From the experiments of Mr. Lewen hock, a calculation has been made, that iu

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