130 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



hath with great diligence observed, those which 

 have none move upon the earth or upon broad 

 leaves, their motion being not unlike to the waves 

 of the sea. Some of them he also observes to be 

 bred of the eggs of other caterpillars, and that 

 those in their time turn to be butterflies: and 

 again, that their eggs turn the following year to be 

 caterpillars. And some affirm that every plant 

 has its particular fly or caterpillar which it breeds 

 and feeds. I have seen, and may therefore affirm 

 it, a green caterpillar, or worm, as big as a small 

 peasecod, which had fourteen legs, eight on the 

 belly, four under the neck, and two near the tail. 

 It was found on a hedge of privet, and was taken 

 thence and put into a large box, and a little 

 branch or two of privet put to it, on which I saw 

 it feed as sharply as a dog gnaws a bone. It lived 

 thus five or six days, and thrived, and changed the 

 color two or three times ; but by some neglect in 

 the keeper of it, it then died, and did not turn into 

 a fly. But if it had lived it had doubtless turned 

 to one of those flies that some call flies of prey, 

 which those that walk by the rivers may in sum- 

 mer see fasten on smaller flies, and, I think, make 

 them their food. And it is observable that as 

 there be these flies of prey which be very large, 

 so there be others, very little, created, I think, 

 only to feed them, and breed out of I know not 

 what ; whose life they say, Nature intended not 

 to exceed an hour, and yet that life is thus 

 made shorter by other flies or by accident. 



