176 THE BUTTERFLY AND MOTH. ' 



carried on differently from what it is in animals when ex- 

 cluded. 



But leaving the other parts of the butterfly, let us turn our 

 attention particularly to the head. The eyes of butterflies have 

 not all the same form; for in some they are large, in others 

 small; in some they are the larger portion of a sphere, in others 

 they are but a small part of it, and just appearing from the head. 

 In all of them, however, the outward coat has a lustre, in which 

 may be discovered the various colours of the rainbow. When 

 examined a little closely, it will be found to have the appearance 

 of a multiplying glass ; having a great number of sides, or facets,, 

 in the manner of a brilliant cut diamond. In this particular the 

 eye of the butterfly, and of most other insects, entirely cor- 

 respond ; and Leuwenhoek pretends there are above six thou- 

 sand facets on the cornea of a flea. These animals, therefore, 

 see not only with great clearness, but view every object multi- 

 plied in a surprising manner. Puget adapted the cornea of a 

 flea in such a position, as to see objects through it by the means 

 of a microscope ; and nothing could exceed the strangeness of 

 its representations: a soldier, who was seen through it, ap- 

 peared like an army of pigmies ; for while it multipled, it also 

 diminished the object ; the arch of a bridge exhibited a spec- 

 tacle more magnificent than human skill could perform ; the 

 flime of a candle seemed a beautiful illumination. It still, how- 

 ever, remains a doubt, whether the insect sees objects singly, as 

 with one eye, or whether every facet is itself a complete eye, ex- 

 hibiting its own object distinct from all the rest. 



Butterflies, as well as most other flying insects, have two in- 

 struments like horns on their heads, which are commonly called 

 feelers. They differ from the horns of greater animals, in being 

 moveable at their base, and in having a great number of joints, 

 by which means the insect is enabled to turn them in every di- 

 rection. Those of butterflies are placed at the top of the head, 

 pretty near the external edge of each eye. What the use of 

 these instruments may he, which are thus formed with so much 

 art, and by a Workman who does nothing without reason, is as 

 yet unknown to man. They may serve to guard the eye, they 

 may be of use to clean it, or they may be the organ of some 

 sense which we are ignorant of; but this is only explaining one 

 difficulty by another. 



We are not so ignorant of the uses of the trunk, which f w 

 insects of the butterfly kind are without. This instrument is 

 placed exactly between the eyes; and when the animal is not 

 employed in seeking its nourishment, it is rolled up like a cvrJ. 



