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CATERPILLARS. 



CAT ER PILLARS alone, with their butterflies and moths, make a 

 third part of infcdts. In their butterfly (late, they are prodigioufly 

 beautiful and fplendid. The fly may therefore well excite our curiofity 

 to examine the reptile. 



Caterpillars may be diftinguilhed from worms or maggots by their 

 feet; they are the earlieft feen in fpring on almoft every vegetable and 

 tret, eating its leaves. They have feet before and behind, and move 

 forward by arch-like fteps made by their fore and hinder parts : they 

 climb vegetables, and ftretch themfelves out from their boughs and 

 ftalks, to reach food at a diftance; have from eight feet to fixtcen. A 

 butterfly or a moth is diftinguiflied by its wings covered with a paint- 

 ed duft, of various beauty. 



Their tranfmutations arc more numerous than thofe of infefts yet men- 

 tioned ; they arc placed in the third order of changes by Swammerdam. 

 When excluded from the egg, they aflume the form of a fmall caterpillar, 

 which feeds and grows larger every day, often changing its fkin, but 

 preferving its form. When come to a certain magnitude, it difcontinues 

 eating, make-^ itfelf a covering or hufk, in which it remains wrapped up, 

 feemingly without life or motion ; and after fome time fpent in this ftate, 

 it burfts confinement, and comes forth a beautiful butterfly. 



Expevience proves that Caterpillars are hatched from the eggs of but- 

 terflies ; and the fly is very careful in depoflting its eggs where they are 

 likely to be hatched with greateft fafety and fuccefs. During winter, 

 they are in an egg (late ; and brave the rigours and humidity of climate : 

 often expofed to its changes, ftill they preferve the latent principle of life 

 which is to be exerted at the approach of fpring. 



But all caterpillars rife not from eggs in fpring; for many have fub- 

 fifted in their aurelia flate during the rigours of winter; fome inclofed ia 

 a kind of {hell, which they fpun for themfelves at the end of autumn ; 

 fome concealed under the bark of trees; others in the chinks of old 

 walls; and many buried under ground. From thefe iflue a variety of 

 butterflies, and adorn the early part of the year with flutterings. Some 

 caterpillars continue in their reptile (late through the fevere feafon, in 

 fome fecure retreat, where they remain motionlefs and infenfible, as if 

 Part VI. No. ^q. § D a6tuallj» 



