122 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
Wonders in the Least-noticed Creatures; or, Netherland 
Insects in their Remarkable Householding, Wonderful 
Transformations, and other Peculiarities worth Knowing.’ 
Described from own observations, pictured after life, done in 
copper, and coloured by Christian Sepp: printed at Amster- 
dam, 1762. 
“No. 1—TZhe Gold-cloth Night-flyer (De Goudlakens 
nacht-vlinder).—The name of gold-cloth has been given to 
this beautiful insect, because it seems at first sight to have 
some similarity to the so-called gold-cloth hen. Possibly 
many collectors may not yet know this insect, at least not its 
derivation ; I doubt not then that it will be agreeable to them 
for me to try to give its history as a topic of the present 
treatise. In the following manner I have got at the whole 
householding of this insect. In the latter part of June, 1760, 
I was busy with my son, outside the town a little, seeking 
insects, when he found in the stalk or stem of a burdock-bush 
(klisse-struick) some round holes, which we guessed were 
made by some insects, and that these might possibly still be 
hid therein: he cut the stalk off,—but how unlucky, and yet 
lucky, was this cut, for it went right through the body of a 
caterpillar! and this grieved us certainly not a little; the 
joy, however, over this new discovery soon caused us to 
forget the loss, and to strive so much harder after more of 
such-like ‘hermits’ (or shall I call them pith-eaters?) ; con- 
sequently we found that day other five of these caterpillars in 
the burr-stems: they were all well grown; we took care not 
to disturb them in their dwellings, and we brought them safe 
home; but of these five, only one of them pleased us by 
turning itself into a pupa and by becoming a fly. That same 
summer the other four died. Thus far, then, we had dis- 
covered this insect, but that year there was no chance of 
learning to know it from the egg, so we were forced to wait till 
next year. 
“No. 2.—June having come round again we again got 
some of these caterpillars, which were not yet full grown; we 
did not delay to give them always fresh burr-stems, and had the 
pleasure of seeing enough of them changed into pupe, and 
then into flies. Consequently it happened that in the month 
of September a male and female fly oie day happened to 
appear at the same time, and we put them by themselves into 
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