THE CATERPILLAR KIND. 163 



appears a crawling caterpillar ; then an insensible aurelia, as it 

 is called, without life or motion ; and lastly, a beautiful butterfly, 

 variously painted, according to its different kind. Having thus 

 distinguished this class of insects from all others, we will first 

 survey their history in general, and then enter particularly into 

 the manners and nature of a few of them which most deserve 

 our curiosity and attention. 



CHAPTER III. 



OF THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE CATERPILLAR INTO ITS COR- 

 RESPONDING BUTTERFLY OR MOTH. 



When winter has disrobed the trees of their leaves, nature 

 then seems to have lost her insects. There are thousands of 

 different kinds, with and without wings, which, though swarming 

 at other seasons, then entirely disappear. Our fields are re- 

 peopled, when the leaves begin to bud, by the genial influence 

 of spring ; and caterpillars, of various sorts, are seen feeding 

 upon the promise of the year, even before the leaves are com- 

 pletely unfolded. Those caterpillars which we then see, may 

 serve to give us a view of the general means which nature em- 

 ploys to preserve such a number of insects during that season 

 when they can no longer find subsistence. It is known, by 

 united experience, that all these animals are hatched from the 

 eggs of butterflies ; and those who observe them more closely, 

 will find the fly very careful in depositing its eggs in those 

 places where they are likely to be hatched with the greatest 

 safety and success. During winter, therefore, the greatest num- 

 bers of caterpillars are in an egg state ; and in this lifeless situa- 

 tion brave all the rigours and the humidity of the climate ; and 

 though often exposed to all its changes, still preserve the latent 

 principle of life, which is more fully exerted at the approach 

 of spring. That same power that pushes forth the budding leaf 

 and the opening flower, impels the insect into animation ; and 

 nature at once seems to furnish the guest and the banquet. 

 When the insect has found force to break its shell, it always 

 finds its favourite aliment provided in abundance before it. 



But all caterpillars are not sent off from the egg in the be- 

 ginning of spring ; for many of them have subsisted during the 

 winter in their aurelia state, in which, as we have briefly ob 

 served above, the animal is seemingly deprived of life and mo 

 tion. In this state of insensibility many of these insects continue 

 during the rigours of winter : some inclosed in a kind of shell, 



