INTRODUCTION 65 



perhaps, than can be found in any other we have in 

 Britain. There was an old Aurelian in London, so 

 highly delighted at the inimitahle flight of Camilla, 

 that, long after he was unable to pursue her, he used 

 to go to the woods, and sit down on a style, for the 

 sole purpose of feasting his eyes with her fascinating 

 evolutions !" 



The hinder section of the body is the abdomen, 

 which presents nothing peculiar in its form or struc- 

 ture. It consists of six or seven segments, and 

 is attached to the posterior part of the thorax by a 

 very small portion of its diameter. It is without 

 any appendage at the -extremity, there being nothing 

 analogous to a sting or ovipositor among butter- 

 flies. 



Before acquiring their perfect form, these crea- 

 tures, as is well known, pass through several diffe- 

 rent states of existence, in which they are distin- 

 guished by organs and properties of a wholly dissi- 

 milar kind. Of these a somewhat detailed account 

 is necessary, in order to afford any thing like a com- 

 plete view of their history. 



All these insects originate from eggs, which are 

 carefully deposited on the leaves and other parts of 

 plants, by the parent fly, after accomplishing which, 

 she soon dies. These eggs are sometimes placed 

 singly, at other times in groups containing consider- 

 able numbers. They are always covered by a coat- 

 ing of varnish, which serves the double purpose of 



E 



