译林名著精选：昆虫记（插图本）

by [法]法布尔 刘莹莹，王琪

本书不仅是一部科学著作，它还称得上是一部出色的文学著作，在文学史上有着特殊的贡献。探求真理使法布尔成为一名科学家，而从热爱生命的角度讲，他又是一位文学家。当他照顾喂养那些生动活泼的昆虫时，他是它们的朋友和家人；当他认真观察它们奇怪的习性本能时，他又成了它们当中的一分子。所以，法布尔在描述他的朋友们时，他的笔下充满了生动的情趣，同时他能敏锐地发现文学作品的错误，并劝诫人们不要想当然地褒贬任何一种昆虫。这样的巨著，只有对昆虫生活有着亲眼观察、亲身体验的人才能写得出来。法布尔是昆虫世界的一名最佳导游，把人们引入一个生动有趣的昆虫世界。本书是法国著名作家法布尔用一生精力完成的一部昆虫学巨著。这部书既有科学性，又有浓厚的文学色彩。法布尔充满爱意地描绘了昆虫的本能、习性、劳动、婚恋、繁衍和死亡，记录了在昆虫世界的漫游历程。这部作品面世以来深受各国读者的喜爱，法布尔也被人们称为“科学诗人”、“昆虫世界的维吉尔”。在今天，保护环境、珍爱自然的呼声越来越高，《昆虫记》的价值和影响也越来越大。红蚂蚁把鸽子带到儿百里之外的地方，它会回到自己的鸽棚；燕子在非洲过完冬后，能穿越茫茫的海洋重返旧巢。在这漫长的归途中，是什么在为它们指引着方向呢？是视觉吗？《动物的才智》的作者图塞内尔认为，旅行者鸽子的向导是视力和气象；这位睿智的观察家对玻璃罩内动物标本的了解恐怕不如他人，但对于活跃在自然界中的各种动物却了如指掌。他说：“在法国，鸽子根据经验，知道寒冷来自北方，炎热来自南方；干燥来自东面，潮湿来自西面。这些气象知识足以帮助它认定方向，并指引它飞行。把一只鸽子装在篮子里，盖上盖子，从布鲁塞尔运到图卢兹，途中它自然无法看到路过的地貌，但却没有人能阻止它感受大气的热度，并就此推断出它是在前往南部。等它在图卢兹被释放的时候，早已知道要回巢就得往北飞，直到周围空域的平均温度与它居住地的温度相似时才停下来。就算它没能一下子找到旧居，那也只是因为飞得稍稍偏左或偏右了一点。但小管怎样，要不了几个小时由东向西的搜寻，它就能纠正这个小小的偏差。”图塞内尔的解释非常有吸引力，可惜它只适用于南北向的移动；对于等温线上的东西向移动，它就行不通了。并会，它还无法推广到其他动物身上。看到猫儿穿过初次见到的迷宫般的大街小巷，从城市的一端回到另一端的家，我们决不能说这是视觉在指引，更不能归之于气候的影响。同样，指引我那些石蜂回家的也绝非它们的视觉，尤其是当它们在密林深处被释放的时候。石蜂飞得并不高，离地面才两三米，根本无法鸟瞰地形的全貌从而绘制地图。再说，它们干吗要鸟瞰地形呢？它们只不过犹豫了一小会儿，在实验者身边转了几个圈，就立刻朝蜂窝的方向飞去；尽管有树遮枝挡，尽管有丘高陵耸，它们还是能沿着离地面不高的斜坡飞越过去。视觉使它们避开了各种障碍，但并没有告诉它们应该往哪个方向飞。至于气象，就更没有起到什么作用：才几公里的距离，气候根本就没怎么变化。对冷、热、干、湿的感觉，并没有给我的石蜂什么启示，因为它们才出生几个星期，是不可能从中得到肩示的。即使它们很有方向感，可由于放飞地的气候和蜂窝的气候是一样的，因此它们也不会知道该往哪儿飞。对于所有这些神秘的现象，我们只能给出一种同样神秘的

Paperback

First published June 1, 2010

Reviews

[starlight · Rating 5 out of 5]

by far the most beautiful nonfiction book i have ever read 🥹❤️ why aren’t school textbooks like this?

also please don’t tell me baby tarantulas actually get their energy directly from the sun.

[Lu Sun · Rating 5 out of 5]

《昆虫记》生动有趣且富有知识性。译林版翻译质量优良，复现了原版的特点。

[Min Liu]

Fabre was the first in the nature of insect scientists, he is poor all his life and energy into the world of insects, in the natural environment of insects of observation and experiment, is a true record of the insects' instincts and habits, written in the book of insects this entomology tome.
He was respected and loved by people all over the world. Farber studied hard and sacrificed his private time to observe the insects. "Insect Records" detail depicting the life of insects: such as spiders, bees, mantis, scorpions, cicadas, beetles, crickets, and so on. This has made a great contribution to the future generations, so that the human society quickly walked the modern civilization.
Farber has made such a great achievement, it is not easy. He was born in a peasant family, living in poverty, by self-study has made many degree. First half of his life he is as poor as a church mouse, after half a lifetime of subsistence, but Farber had not all difficult to yield, his diligent self-study, carefully selected research direction, unremittingly for observation of plants and insects, will continue to gain new achievements.
Farber's greatest interest in life, is to explore the true nature of life and the world, and found that the scientific truth contained in the natural world. He is writing "insects" because of his love of truth.
How I wish I could like Fabre that to the knowledge of the ocean to travel, to the scientific world to explore, to uncover the nature of a and a mystery, for the benefit of mankind ah! However compared with Fabre, I really feel ashamed.
Fabre can under the poor environment of insects, usually I do maths problems are not serious, not hard, again do not come out, do not want to use their brains, sometimes also temper tantrums.
Read "Insect Records" the author's life and "Insect Records", I feel the deep, "insect records, not only full of life of awe, contains the pursuit of truth, to explore the truth of spirit of truth, has given me great inspiration: in life and learning. We want to Fabre learning courage to explore the world, have the courage to pursue truth, courage and perseverance, no matter what things should be like Fabre as to have a rigorous scientific spirit, adhere to the" accurate descriptions of observed facts, doesn't add anything, nor ignore what ".
When I read "but to a very high level, it is inevitable to retreat. As long as the slightest mistake, it will come to naught, not only the ball rolled down, even himself being dragged down...... Sometimes after ten to twenty times persistent efforts, in order to obtain the final success ", my heart is stabbed. Ten to twenty times,, although not a big number, but for a carrying a big, heavy ball, after a steep slope, climbing couldn't up small beetles, is how big the challenge. Sometimes it is even possible to life have to catch up.
How worthy of my learning of small beetles ah! Think I used to play computer games, always choose the "simple" this level, compared with the little beetle, I really ashamed. A small beetle, are aware of the "hard work and success" of the truth. And we are in the five grade students, when the teacher arranged a few problems, the students just started to be very hard, not a few minutes, there is no patience. Although these questions a little difficult, but it is not difficult to pole. Moreover, there will always be made out of people, why others can do it, and we do not see it? It is because we are too lazy. There is no ambition, only to the simple title challenge, dare not to challenge difficult problem.
Wrote here, I understand a profound truth: if a person only to easy to overcome the subject, more than their own challenges, then, it is always the weak

[Yichen Jing · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tell us to face on natural things, and discovery new things during daily life.