294 



THE PHILOSOPHY 



tranfparent membranes, It is called a nymph. But, when to thefc 

 membranes is added a common and cruftaceous covering, it receives 

 the name of a chryfalis. While in the ftate of a nymph, or that of 

 a chryfalis, infefts, in general, are totally inactive, and feem not 

 to poflefs any powers of life. Sunk into a kind of deep fleep, they 

 are little affedted with external objefts. They can make no ufe of 

 their eyes, their mouth, or any of their members ; for they are all 

 imprifoned by coverings more or lefs ftrong. No cares occupy their 

 attention. Deprived of the faculty of motion, they remain fixed 

 in thofe fituations which they have chofen for their temporary 

 abode, or where chance has placed them, till their final metamor- 

 phofis into flies. Some of them, however, are capable of changing 

 place ; but their movements are flow and painful. Their blood cir- 

 culates, but in a contrary direction from what takes place in the 

 caterpillar ftate ; for it proceeds from the head toward the tail. Ref- 

 piration continues to go on, but the organs are differently fituated. 

 In the caterpillar, the principal organs of refplration were placed at 

 the pofterior part of the body ; but now thefe fame organs are to be 

 found at the anterior part of the animal. In the tliird period, the 

 infe<fl has acquired that perfedl organization which correfponds to 

 the rank it is to hold in the fcale of animation. The bonds of the 

 nymph, or of the chryfalis, are now burft afunder, and the infe£t 

 commences a new mode of exlftence. All its members, formerly 

 foft, inactive, and folded up in an envelope, are expanded, ftrengthen- 

 ed, and expofed to obfervation. Under the form of a worm or ca- 

 terpillar, it crawled ; under thofe of a nymph, or chryfalis, its pow- 

 er of motion was almoft annihilated ; under the laft form, it is fur- 

 niflied with fix fprlngy legs, and two or four wings with which it is 

 enabled to fly through the air. Inftead of teeth or pincers, with 

 which it divided a grofs aliment, it has now a trunk by which it 

 extradts the refined juices of the moft delicate flowers. Inftead of a 

 few fmooth eyes which it pofl^efl'ed in the worm or caterpillar ftate, 



the 



