BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. 



791 



within a cone, find that exit more difficult, as 

 they have still anotiicr prison to break through: 

 this, however, they perform in a short time ; 

 for the butterfly, freed from its aurelia skin, 

 butts with its iiead violently against the walls 

 of its artificial prison ; and probably with its 

 eyes, that are rough and like a file, it rubs the 

 internal surface a\v iy ; till it is at last seen 

 bursting its way into open light ; and, in less 

 than a quarter of an hour, the animal acquires 

 its full perfection. 



Thus, to use the words of Swarnmerdam, 

 we see a little insignificant creature distin- 

 guished, in its last birth, with qualifications 

 and ornaments, which man, during his stay 

 upon earth, can never even hope to acquire. 



The butterfly, to enjoy life, needs no other 

 food but the dews of heaven, and the honeyed 

 juices which are distilled from every flower. 

 The" pageantry of princes cannot equal the 

 ornaments with which it is invested ; nor the 

 rich colouring that embellishes its wings. 

 The skies are the butterfly's proper habitation, 

 and the air is its element : whilst man comes 

 into the world naked, and often roves about 

 without habitation or shelter ; exposed on one 

 hand to the heat of the sun, and, on the other, 

 to the damps and exhalations of the earth ; 

 both alike enemies of his happiness and ex- 

 istence. A strong proof that, while this little ani- 

 mal is raised to its greatest height, \ve are as 

 yet in this world only candidates for perfection! 



CHAPTER CLXXXVI.. 



OF BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. 



IT has been already shown, that all butter- 

 flies are bred from caterpillars; and we have ex- 

 hibited the various circumstances of that 

 surprising change. It has been remarked, 

 that butterflies may be easily distinguished 

 from flies of every other kind, by their wings : 

 for, in others, they are either transparent, 

 <|ke gauze, as we see in the common flesh fly; 

 * they are hard and crusted, as we see in the 

 .vings of the beetle. But in the butterfly, the 

 wings are soft, opake, and painted over with 

 a beautiful dust, that comes off with handling. 



The number of these beautiful animals is 

 very great ; and though Linnaeus Ir.is reckon- 

 ed up above seven hundred and sixty different 

 kinds, the catalogue is still very incomplete. 

 Every collector of butterflies can show unde- 

 scribed species : and such as are fond of mi- 

 nute discovery, can here produce animals that 

 have been examined only by himself. In 

 general, however, those of the warm climates 

 are larger and mor- beautiful than such as 

 are bred at home; and <v<r can easily admit 

 the beauty of th.- 'vinei-fly, since we are thus 

 freed ff. uu^e of the r--uerpillar.. It 



has been the amuse ICIH of swnp to collect 

 these ani nals from differeir parts of the world ; 

 or to breed them from caterpillars at home. 



These they arrange in systematic order, or 

 dispose so' as to make striking and agreeable 

 pictures ; and .-ill must grant, that this specious 

 idleness is far preferable to that unhappy state 

 which- is produced by a total want of employ- 

 ment. 



The wings of butterflies, as was observed, 

 fully distinguish them from flies of every other 

 kind. They are four in number; and though 

 two of them be cut off, the animal can fly 

 with the two others remaining. They are, in 

 their own substance, transparent ; but owe 

 their opacity to the beautiful dust with which 

 they are covered ; and which has been liken- 

 ed, by some naturalists, to the feathers of birds; 

 by others, to the scales of fishes ; as their 

 imaginations were disposed to catch the re- 

 semblance. In fact, if we regard the wing of 

 n butterfly with a good microscope, we shall 

 perceive it studded over with a variety of little 

 grains of different dimensions and forms, 

 generally supported upon a footstalk, regularly 

 laid upon the whole surface. Nothing can 

 exceed the beautiful and regular arrangement 

 of these little substances ; which thus serve to. 

 paint the butterfly's wing, like the tiU-s of a 

 house. Those of one rank are a little cover- 

 ed by those that follow : they are of many 



