Part II. in the Creation. 307 



accord with my Obfervations. Moreover^ that this 

 Caterpillar [Eruca] is propagated by Animal Pa- 

 rentSy to wit, Butterfies^ after the common Origi- 

 nation of all Caterpillars, In all this I fully con^ 

 fent with the Dodtor, only crave Leave to differ 

 in his attributing to them the Name of Cajji 

 which were accounted by the Antients a deli- 

 cate Morfel, and fed for the Table; fori take 

 thpfe to have been the Hexapods, from which 

 the greater Sort of Beetles come -, for that that 

 Sort of Hexapods are at this Day eaten in our 

 American Plantations, as I am informed by my 

 good Friend Dr. Hans Sloane^ who alfo prefented 

 me with a Glafs of them preferv'd in Spirit of 

 Wine. 



Having lately had an Opportunity more curi- 

 oufly to view and examine the great Flefh-co- 

 lour'd, thin-hair'd, Englijld Caterpillar (which is 

 fo like that fent me by Dr. Sloane^ that it differs 

 little but in Magnitude, which may be owing to 

 the Climate) I obferv'd that it had a Power of 

 drawing its eight hind Legs or Stumps fo far up 

 in its- Body that they did altogether difappear, fo 

 that the Creature feem'd to want them, and of 

 thrufting them out again at pleafure ; whereupon 

 I conjectured, that that Infed: oi Jamaica fenc 

 me by the Dodor (which I took to be the Cojfus 

 or Hexapods previous to fome large Beetle) had 

 likewife the fame Power of drawing up its hind 

 Legs, fo that tho* to appearance it wanted them, 

 yet really it did not fo, but had only drawn thenpi 

 up and hid them in its Body when ic was ini«- 



X 2 mcrs'd 



