THE MOTHS. 45^ 



wings are wrapped up, and folded round the body, fo as 

 to give the infeft a cylindrical form : And, laftly, the 

 family of alucitse have their wings fplit, or divided into 

 different branches, almofl to their bafe *. 



The greater part of theft phalanx, or moths, when at 

 liberty in the fields, only fly during the night, or towards 

 the evening : Thofe which are domefticated in boxes 

 made for that purpofe, give indications by their fluttering 

 within when the natural period of their a6livity ap- 

 proaches. During the day they remain quiet, and ap- 

 parently reconciled to their confinement ; they flutter 

 throughout the whole extent of their prifons, and teftify 

 their impatience at their want of freedom. 



All the diurnal butterflies are provided with a roft:run3L 

 for gathering, and tor the reception of their food ; a great 

 part of the phalaerse are entirely deftitute of that organ, 

 while in others it is fo fmall as fcaucely to be difccrnible 

 with the naked eye. This iingular faft hath been fully 

 invefligated by the indefatigable Kaauimir^ who, after 

 examining many moths with a fliong magnifier, has not 

 been able to difcover the fmalleil vcftige of a mouth f . 

 A confiderable number, therefore, of thefe animals, muft 

 pafs the whole of their winged date without food : Thefe 

 cannot be dellruilive to cloth or furs, except while they 

 remain in the form of worms. 



The caterpillars from which the various fpecies of 

 moths are produced, exhibit nearly the fame variety of 

 appearance as the winged inlefts which fpring from them. 

 Some are large, while others are extremely minute; 

 many are provided with ten, others twelve and fourteen 

 feet ; the largeft and mod common have fixteen. Some 

 3 M 2 of 



* Vide Syft. Nat. Ord. III. Gen. .3. f Tonj. I. Mem. vn. p. jgf. 



