l02f THE PHILOSOPHY 



more than a naked, and often a tranfparent membrane. The 

 feelers of the papUiOi or butterfyy are thickeft at their extremi- 

 ty, and often terminate in a kind of capitulum, or head. 

 Their wings, when fitting, or at reft, are ere6V, their extremi- 

 ties join each other above the body, and the animals fly a- 

 bout, in queft of food and of their mates, during the day. 

 The moths are divided into two genera, the one called 

 fphinx, or haivh moth, and the other phalaena^ or moth. The 

 feelers o^ihefphinx are thicker in the middle than at the ex- 

 tremities, and their form, in fome meafure, refembles that of 

 a prifm. The wings are, in general, defle<Sled, their outer 

 margins declining towards the fides. They fly about early 

 in the morning, and after fun-fet ; and, by means of their 

 probofcis^ like the butterflies, they fuck the juices of plants. 

 The phalaeriay or jtioth : The feelers of this genus are feta- 

 ceous, and taper from the bafe to the point. When at reft, 

 their wings are commonly deflected ; and they fly during 

 the night. Previous to their transformation, the caterpillars 

 of the whole of this genus fpin webs for covering and pro- 

 tedling the animals while in the chryfalis ftate. From a fpe- 

 cies of this tribe mankind have derived one of the greateft 

 articles of luxury and of commerce which now exifts in the 

 world. That feemingly contemptible, that difgufting reptile 

 known by the appellation of the filk -wonn, in its paflage from 

 the caterpiflar to the chryflilis ftate, produces thofe fplendid 

 materials which adoi'n the thrones of Princes, and add digni- 

 ty and luftre to female beauty*. 



The wings o^ihejotirth order, diftinguifhed by the name 

 of neuropteray are membranaceous, naked, and fo interfperfed 

 with delicate veins, that they have the appearance of beauti- 

 ful net-work. Their tail has no fting ; but that of the male 

 is frequently furniflied with a kind of forceps or pincers. 

 To this order belongs the lihella^ or drago7i-fly, an infe«St of 

 ■^ery fplendid and variegated colours. It is a large and well 



* See Chap. XI, concerning the Transformation of Animals. 



