96 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [part I. 



those which have none, move upon the earth, or upon broad leaves, 

 their motion being not unlike to the waves of the sea. Some 

 of them he also observes to be bred of the eggs of other cater- 

 pillars, and that those in their time turn to be butterflies ; and 

 again, that their eggs turn the following year to be caterpillars.* 

 And some affirm that every plant has its particular fly or cater- 

 pillar, which it breeds and feeds. I have seen, and may there- 

 fore affirm it, a green caterpillar, or worm, as big as a small 

 peascod, which had fourteen legs ; eight on the belly, four under 

 the neck, and two near the tail. It was found on a hedge of 

 privet ; and was taken thence, and put into a large box, and a little 

 branch or two of privet put to it, on which I saw it feed as sharply 

 as a dog gnaws a bone : it lived thus, five or six days, and thrived, 

 and changed the colour two or three times, but by some neglect 

 in the keeper of it, it then died, and did not turn to a fly : but if 

 it had lived, it had doubtless turned to one of those flies that some 

 call Flies of prey, which those that walk by the rivers may, in 

 summer, see fasten on smaller flies, and, I think, make them their 

 food. And 'tis observable, that as there be these flies of prey, 

 which be very large ; so there be others, very little, created, I 

 think, only to feed them, and breed out of I know not what ; whose 

 life, they say, nature intended not to exceed an hour ; f ^iid yet 

 that life is thus made shorter by other flies, or accident. 



'Tis endless to tell you what the curious seai'chers into nature's 

 productions have observed of these worms and flies : but yet I 

 shall tell you what Aldrovandus,:{; our Topsel, and others, say of 

 the Palmer-worm, or Caterpillar : ' that whereas others content 

 themselves to feed on particular herbs or leaves \ for most think, 

 those very leaves that gave them life and shape, give them a par- 

 ticular feeding and nourishment, and that upon them they usually 

 abide ; yet he observes that this is called a pilgrim or palmer 

 worm, for his very wandering life, and various food ; not con- 

 tenting himself, as others do, with any one certain place for his 



VARIATION, 



7 btit yet I shall tell you what our Topsel says of the Canker, or Palmer-worm, or 

 Caterpillar. — rst edit. 



* Whoever is desirous of knowing more of Caterpillars, and of the several flies pro- 

 duced by them, may consult Joannes Goedartius De Jfisectis with the Apjiendix of Dr 

 Lister, Land. 8vo, 1685. — H. 



t That there are creatures "whose life nature intended not to exceed an hour," is, I 

 believe, not so well agreed, as that there are some whose existence is determined in five 

 or six. 



t Ulysitt A IdrovajtdicSj an eminent physician and naturalist of Bologna; he wrote 

 one hundred and twenty books on several subjects, and a treatise De Piscibtts^ published 

 at Fraiickfort, 1640. — H. 



