G04 



INSECTA. 



Hb'. i:j«.— Calcrpillii 



= uf thi- Mft);v]f Motl 



their peculiar mode of walking. Seizing fast hold of the objects on which they are stationed 

 with these six fore-legs, thev elevate the intermediate segments of the body into an arch, until 

 they bring the hind-feet close to the others; these they disengage, and, retaining hold iiith 



the hind feet, tln-ust forward the body to 

 its full length, and then recoramenee the 

 same manoeuvre. Many of these Looper- 

 caterpillars resemble, in their mode of 

 standing, fixed for a great length of time 

 oidy by their hind legs to twigs, as well as 

 in tlieir form and eohjurs, small pieces of 

 stioli. Such an attitude necessardy rerpures 

 a prodigious nuisodar force, and Lyouuet 

 bas, in effect, discovered that the caterpillar 

 of the Goat iMoth posseses 4041 muscles. 

 Some Caterpillars with fourteen or si.xteen 

 feet, (some of the intermediate membranous 

 legs being, however, smaller than tlie others,) have been named .Semi-geunieters. The mem- 

 branous feet arc mostlv terminated by a more or less perfect coronet oi' little hooks. 



The bod\' of these larvjc is generally long, subcv'lindric, soft, variously coloured, sometimes 

 naked, and sometimes hairy, tubercled, or sjiined, and consists of twelve segments, exclusive 

 of the head, with nine spiracles on each side ; the skull is horny or scaly, with six small 

 granular shining points, which seem to be ocelli, on each side : it has moreover two verv" short 

 conical antenna;, a mouth composed of a pair of strong mandiljles, tivo inaxilhe, a labium, 

 and four small pal[)i ; the silky material which it uses is elaborated m two long, tortuous, 

 internal vessels ; a tubular and conical point, situate at the tip of tlie labium, is tlie sjiinneret, 

 whence the silk is discharged. The majority of Caterjiillars feed upon the leaves of vegetables; 

 others devour How ers, roots, buds, seeds ; others eat the hard and solid parts of the wood ; 

 this they soften with a secretion which they discharge from the mouth : certain species de- 

 stroy our woollen cloths, stuffs, furs, &c., and are the most obnoxious of our domestic insects ; 

 others feed on gre.ase, fat, bacon, wax, &c.; many feed upou a single material, but others, less 

 ilebrate, attack different kinds of plants. One of the most striking instances of providence 

 IS the perfect coincidence betiveeu the appearance of the Caterpillar and the vegetable upon 

 wliich It is destined to feed. Sdine kinds of Caterpillars are social, and often live together 

 under a kind of tent of silk, which they spin in common, and which serves them as a defence 

 against bad weather ; many fabricate cases, either fixed or portable ; some are lodged in the 

 parenchyme of leaves, where they make galleries; the greater inmiber however delight in 

 daylight; others, on the other hand, only come forth at night. Winter, notwithstanding its 

 rigiHirs, so uncinigcnial to nearly all insects, is the ]ieriod when senile moths make their appear- 

 ance. Caterpillars generally moult four times behire jiassing to the chrysalis state. The majority 

 then spin a cocniui in which they are inclosed ; a kind of ineeouiuin or red liquid, which these 

 insects discharge at the moment of their final transformation, softeus one end of the cocoon, 

 and allows the escape of the moth. Generally one end of the cocoon is weaker, or even fitted by 

 the arrangement of the threads for the escape of the insect. Other Caterpillars merely con- 

 tent themselves with attaching together leaves, or particles of earth, &c., with silken thread, 

 thns forming a rough kind of ciicoon. The Ciirysaliiles of diurnal Butterfiics are ornamented 

 with golden spots [whence tlieir name of Aureliic or Chrysalides], and are uakeil, and fixed 

 by the posterior extremity of the body; these Chrysalides are of the peculiar kind which 

 Linnajus termed Pupa obtecta, and which are mummy-shaped ; the sheaths of the feet and 

 antenna being fixed. Those of many sjiccies, esi)ecially of Butterflies, are hatched in a few- 

 days ; and thus there are two broods of these m a year. But in respect to others, these Cater- 



