THE CATERPILLAR. 3 



equal to numbers. With these the animals de- 

 vour their food in such amazing quantities ; and 

 with these, some of the kind defend themselves 

 against their enemies. Though the mouth be kept 

 shut, the teeth are always uncovered ; and while 

 the insect is in health, they are seldom without 

 employment. Whatever the caterpillar devours, 

 these teeth serve to chop it into small pieces, and 

 render the parts of the leaf fit for swallowing. 

 Many kinds, while they are yet young, eat only 

 the succulent part of the leaf, and leave all the 

 fibres untouched ; others, however, attack the 

 whole leaf, and eat it clean away. One may be 

 amused, for a little time, in observing the avidity 

 with which they are seen to feed ; some are seen 

 eating the whole day, others have their hours of 

 repast ; some choose the night, and others the 

 day. When the caterpillar attacks a leaf, it 

 places its body in such a manner that the edge 

 of the leaf shall fall between its feet, which keeps 

 it steady while the teeth are employed in cutting 

 it ; these fall upon the leaf somewhat in the man- 

 ner of a pair of gardener's shears, and every mor- 

 sel is swallowed as soon as cut. Some cater- 

 pillars feed upon leaves so very narrow, that they 

 are not broader than their mouths ; in this case 

 the animal is seen to devour it from the point, as 

 we would eat a radish. 



As there are various kinds of caterpillars, the 

 number of their feet are various, some having 

 eight, and some sixteen. Of these feet the six 

 foremost are covered with a sort of shining 

 gristle, and are therefore called the shelly legs. 



