432 THE PHILOSOPHY 



Between the trunk of the tree and the layers of filk a fingle 

 hole is left, to allow the animals to go out in queft of food, 

 and to retire into the nefl after they are fatiated. Not with - 

 ftanding the great bulk of thefe nefts, and though there are 

 often three or four of them upon the fime tree, and never 

 elevated above the height of diftincft vifion, they are not 

 eafily perceived j for the filk of which they are compofed is 

 cinereous, and refembles, in colour, thofe mofles with which 

 the trunk of the oak is generally covered. 



The inhabitants of a neft, which are numerous, march out, 

 about the fetting of the fun, to forage, under the condudl of 

 a chief or leader, all whofe movements they uniformly fol- 

 low. The order they obferve is fingular. The firft rank 

 confifts of fingle animals, the fecond of two, the third of 

 three, the fourth of four, and fometimes more. In this man- 

 ner they proceed in queft of food with all the regularity of 

 difciplined troops. The chief or leader has no marks of 

 pre-eminence ; for any individual that happens firfl to ifTue 

 from the neft, from that circumftance alone, becomes the 

 leader of an expedition. After making a full repaft upon 

 the neighbouring leaves, they return to the neft in the fame 

 regular order ; and this practice they continue during the 

 whole period of their exiftence in the caterpillar ftate. It 

 was from this ftrange regularity of movement that Reaumur, 

 with much propriety, denominated thefe animals proccfficnary 

 caterpillars . When arrived at maturity, each individual 

 fpins a filken pod, is converted into a chryfalis, and after- 

 wards afTumes the form of a butterfly. This laft transfor- 

 mation breaks all the bonds of their former afTociation, and 

 the female flies dcpolit their eggs, v/hich, when hatched, 

 produce new colonies, who exhibit the fame oeconomy and 

 manners. ' 



There are feveral fpecies of caterpillars who are real re- 

 publicans, and whofe difcipiine, manners, and genius, are 



