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LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS * 



THE present order contains only three tribes, 

 the Butterflies, Moths, and Hawk-Moths. These 

 are all produced from Caterpillars, by a change that 

 is common to all the insect species. The Cater- 

 pillars proceed from eggs ; and those of the Butter- 

 flies in particular, are so numerous that, in the spring 

 of the year, the leaves and tenderest stems of plants 

 are sometimes perfectly crowded with them. 



Their bodies are composed in general of twelve 

 membranaceous rings, which sufficiently distinguish 

 them from all such reptiles as bear the least resem- 

 blance to them. Their head is scarcely to be dis- 

 tinguished from the body but by its containing an 

 Opening, in which are two jaws, each armed with 

 a large and thick tooth. The number of their feet 

 varies with their size and form. Along the sides 

 are arranged holes or tracheae, through which they 

 breathe. 



Caterpillars are in general extremely voracious, 

 some of them eating more than double their own 

 weight in a day, without suffering any inconve- 

 nience from it 3 for the digestive powers of all ani- 

 mals are proportioned not so much to their size, as 

 to the duration of their lives. 



They often change their skin without materially 



This is the third of the Linnean orders of insects. 



