2^8 on caterpillars^ Oct. 24. 



tionlefs. All this to us appeared so very surprising, 

 knowing that all caterpillars first pafs into the nymph 

 or chrysalis state, and then beconie butterflies, at 

 ■which period the eggs are deposited, that I deter- 

 mined to Communicate to you what we had seen, in 

 hopes that you, or if you think this letter worthy of 

 insertion in_ your useful miscellany, some of your 

 correspondents, would afford us some information oa 

 this subject. I am. Sir, 



Your constant reader and admirer, 



Edinburgh, 1 JuviCNIS.' 



Sept. 23. 1792.5 



P. S. It was my intention to send a drawing of 

 the caterpillar ; but I think it best to send one of 

 them, the other I Ihall keep to make further obser- 

 tvations. 



Observations on the above. 



Along with the above letter was sent, in a box, 

 ,a caterpillar, which is exactly delineated in the mis- 

 cellaneous plate, fig. 7. p. 244, with two parcels of 

 cocoons of a yellowifh colour, as there represented ; 

 ^11 of the natural size. The caterpillar was still 

 alive on the 26th, but refused to eat. It continued 

 to ftiow signs of life for a day longer, when it fi- 

 nally expired. The cocoons remain till this time, 

 October 14th, without any change. 



Of all the works of nature none appear more sur- 

 prising to the contemplative mind than the pheno- 

 nomena that respect reptiles and insects ; two clafses 

 of animals extremely different in appearance, yet, in 

 reality, connected with each other by the nearest re- 

 lation. Among the reptile tribe there are three prin- 



