233 



importance for one of our hermits to prepare himself 

 for, the most interesting to him of any during ills whole 

 life. Caterpillars alone exhibit to us the examples of 

 almost all the proceedings which nature has taught to 

 insects of this kind. We will limit our examinations to 

 this class in particular. 



2. There are some caterpillars whose bodies are sup- 

 ported by a prop, and nature has taught them the me- 

 thod of effecting this. They wind a girdle round their 

 i)ody, composed of a number of silk threads collected 

 together, whose edds are fixed to the prop that sustains 

 them : by this means they fasten their hind legs in a 

 little heap of silk. It is easy to imagine after this, that 

 the chrysalis must be tied and grappled as the cater- 

 pillar was: the girdle is loose, and leaves the chrysalis 

 sufficient room to peifoxm its* little operations^ 



3. Other caterpillars form* cones. Same of these 

 give their cone a more exquisite form, so as to resemble 

 that of an inverted boat. The cone of a silk-worm is 

 made, if we may be allowed the expression, of a single 

 piece. The cones made boat-wise consist of two prin- 

 cipal parts, shaped like shells, and joined together with 

 great skill and propriety : each shell is- w.orked sepa- 

 rately, and formed, of an almost infinite number of very 

 minute silk rings. On the fore part of the cone, which 

 represents the hind part of the boat, is a ledge that juts 

 out a little, in which we may perceive a very narrow 

 crevice, which denotes the aperture contrived for the 

 exit of the butterfly: by means of that, the two shells 

 may part asunder, and leave room for the butterfly to 

 pass through them. They are constructed and put to.- 

 gelher with so much art,, that they are of the nature of 

 a spring ; and the cone from whence the butterfly has 

 lately issued, appears as close as that winch it still iix,- 

 habits : by. this ingenious artifice the butterfly is always 

 free, and the chrysalis in safety. We shall hereafter 

 come to treat of proceedings which are analogous to 

 these, but more singular. 



