The Zoologist — October, 1871. 2789 



I put before it leaves of divers Herbs and other things, which 

 I knew Catterpillars to feed off, but it would not so much as taste 

 of any of them. Then from its colour, which was not much unlike 

 the leaves of Elder, I began to suspect that those leaves might not 

 be ungratefiill to it, being by experience taught that some catter- 

 pillars are coloured somewhat like the Herbs and leaves they are 

 nourished with : I gave it Elder leaves to eat; it devoured those 

 willingly as I thought, but yet once a day only. At evening after 

 sunset, when it began to be darke, it eat halfe an hour together, 

 when it once fell on, and being full it stretched itselfe right out, 

 and in that posture it looked like a stick out of a Faggot, for 

 I could see no legges at first look, and yet was not without them, 

 wherefore I have drawn -the feet of the forepart of the Body, in 

 that also was a rising bunch ; by the help of which it so fastened 

 itselfe, sucking continually like a Leech, that it could scarce be 

 plucked away, and wo'd rather suffer itselfe to be plucked in 

 pieces than be separated from what it stuck to. Also the hinder 

 part of his body was very tentatious ; it represents a Goldsmith's 

 Forciples, with the which he is wont to take a crucible out of the 

 fire, he shutting his hinder feet as Forciples are to be shut, and in 

 that posture if you shake him and tumble him never so much he 

 will rest and not move, like a dead thing, sometimes a whole day 

 together, but when he crept forward he took long strides, stretching 

 out himselfe at full length right forwards, drawing up the hinder 

 part of his body to his fore part like a loop, or the buckle of a belt, 

 and thus he walked. The 25th of October he put off a skin, as 

 many other Catterpillars use to do when they are about to change, 

 and hung with Iris head downwards from six a Clock in the 

 morning untill eight at night, at which time he was alwayes wont 

 to creep abroad ; he eat at nights, and slept in the daytime. Now 

 when the Elder leaves were fallen, and being dry had lost their 

 former taste and virtue, he refused to eat any more the 19lh of 

 November. He fasted all winter, doing nothing but shifting his 

 place every night; one night hanging with his head downwards 

 and another with it upwards, always his body at its full stretch 

 and length, and thus he passed the time away. All the time I had 

 him by me I could never perceive any signes of life in him o'th 

 day time, except that day when he was put into my hands, and 

 those small signes that were, I observed by the benifit of a light. 

 The 20th of March the year following I set before him the buds of 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. VI. 3 C 



