272 QUALITY OF INSECT GILDING. 



Was it possible that our beautiful golclwing had issued from 

 one of these silken receptacles ? She certainly had, as to our 

 infinite satisfaction was fully proved by the emergence, in a 

 few days, of a brilliant bevy of the like lovely and splendid 

 little creatures.* Their name we cannot tell, though it may 

 be known probably to wiser entomologists. 



Let us examine now a little closer into the real quality of 

 these insect enrichments, which come certainly under the 

 range of that comprehensive proverb, " All is not gold that 

 glitters." The appearance in question is produced, says 

 Reaumur, by a transparent brown varnish laid over a white 

 substance, as in the process of gilding leather by tinfoil 

 covered with yellow varnish, the spots of silver being simulated 

 by the same substance covered with a skin more colourless. 

 The silvery and golden gloss in scales of fish are accounted for 

 in the same manner. The white liquor under them was called 

 " essence d'orient '' by the artificial pearl-makers of the days 

 of the above-named naturalist, and they were accustomed to 

 employ it in their manufacture. Why not, says lleaumur, 

 employ in gilding the same matter instead of silver ? Lister 

 contrived to imitate the gilding of chrysalides by putting a 

 small piece of black gall in a strong decoction of nettles. 

 This produced a skin, which, when left on the cup or paper, 

 will, he says, " exquisitely gild it."f 



Alchemists, mistaking these gold and silver semblances for 



* See Vignette. f Ray's Letters. 



