MORE DIRECTIONS 



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 colour two or three times, 

 but by some neglect in the keeper of it, it then died and did 

 not turn to 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 Summer see fasten on smaller flies, 

 and I think make them their food. And 'tis 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 accident. 



'Tis endless to tell you what the curious searchers into 

 Nature's productions have observed of these worms and flies : 

 but yet I shall tell you what Aldrovandus, our Topsel, and others 

 say of the Palmer-worm or Caterpillar ; that whereas others 

 content themselves to feed on particular herbs or leaves, for 

 most think those very leaves that gave them life and shape, 

 give them a particular feeding and nourishment, and that upon 

 them they usually abide ; yet he observes, that this is called a 

 Pilgrim or Palmer-worm, for his very wandering life and various 

 food ; not contenting himself, as others do, with any one certain 

 place for his abode, nor any certain kind of herbs or flowers 

 for his feeding ; but will boldly and disorderly wander up and 

 down, and not endure to be kept to a diet, or fixed to a par- 

 ticular place. 



Nay, the very colours of caterpillars are, as one has observed, 

 very elegant and beautiful ; I shall, for a taste of the rest, 

 describe one of them, which I will sometime the next month 

 shew you feeding on a Willow-tree, and you shall find him 

 punctually to answer this very description ; his lips and mouth 

 somewhat yellow, his eyes black as jet, his forehead purple, his 

 feet and hinder parts green, his tail two forked and black, the 

 whole body stained with a kind of red spots which run along 

 the neck and shoulder-blade, not unlike the form of Saint 

 Andrew's cross, or the letter X, made thus cross-wise, and a 

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