THE BUTTETlFLy. 4^1 



rcfpirctiori is earned on during the whole period of their 

 inactive ilate. After the appointed time, when the ani- 

 mal has acquired lufHcient vigour, the fiiell is broken, 

 which at once conflituted the grave of the caterpillar, 

 and the cradle of the butterfly : the down already grown 

 upon the infccl has completely feparated it on all fides 

 from the fheii, which, by the a6l:ion of the head, is bro- 

 ken oppofile to that part, and affords free egrefs to the 

 prifoner it fo long confined *. 



The wings of the butterfly, on its firfl appearance, are 

 clofely folded; but by the help of a liquor constantly cir- 

 culating through them, they are foon expanded, and fuf= 

 ficientiy hardened, by the action of the air, to endure the 

 efforts of flying. It is then that the infecl enters upon a 

 more enlarged fphere of aftion, with increafed powers ; 

 lie ranges from flovver to flower, darting his roflrum in- 

 to their neftaria for the delicious flcrcs thev contain. 

 Then too in the full poiTefTion of every faculty granted 

 to his race, he prepares to multiply and perpetuate it. 



This iaft and molt confiderablc nictamorpholis, is at- 

 tended with a greater change in tlie economy of the ani- 

 mal, than any of the preceding ; not only thefliin, but die 

 teetii, jaws, and cra?iiii.'/i, are left behind. The large artery 

 which paffes along the body, may be confidered as a fuc- 

 cefiion of different hearts etnploj'td in circulatinp- the 

 blood, which is at tliat important sera, obferved to flow 

 in a different direction from what it did before, like the 

 fostus of a quadruped after birth f: Formerly it circulat- 

 ed from the extremity to the head ; it now purfues a 

 courfe directly oppofite. 



3^2 The 



* Idem, nieni. 14. 



■\ ViJe Mdphigi zr.d rvc;:u:r.ur. Tame I. num. 19. 



