— K5S 



three divisions ; one in the front, which covers its legs and face, the other two one 

 on each side, covering the wings ; it then bends itself forward, and the front division 

 or mask yielding, it lays hold on the lower or jointed part of the shell, and draws 

 itself entirely out : being disengaged from the chrysalis, its next business is to reach 

 a place where it can hang by its legs with its wings downward, and where they may 

 stretch and grow without obstruction. For the wings of the largest flies, when they 

 first come out of the chrysalis, are not much bigger than a silver penny. It seems 

 very careful in the management of its wings while they are growing ; often shaking 

 its body, lest by their dampness they should stick together; then by a gentle rocking 

 of its body trying if it can feel with its wings any thing that may obstruct their grow- 

 ing ; and if so, it will directly creep higher, or move to a greater distance. As the 

 wings grow they rumple and pucker in rude fashion ; but after a short time they 

 nicely expand themselves, hanging very flat, and exactly even with each other. They 

 now appear of the consistence of paper which is rotten damp; but they are much less 

 time in drying than in growing to the full size. When one of these insects thinks its 

 wings ready it suddenly opens them a little way, and if it finds them too heavy, or 

 that they yield, bend, or give way in striking the air, it very cautiously closes them 

 again : at length it begins to open and shut them softly, as it were fanning them 

 lightly, till they are quite dry, then suddenly starts into the air and flies away. 



A butterfly is ready for flight in less than half an hour after it comes from the 

 chrysalis, and the largest moths hardly exceed an hour. 



The food of both moths and butterflies is much alike, being chiefly the honey 

 which they extract with their long proboscis out of flowers, or the honey-dew, which 

 is found on the leaves of trees, plants, &c. Indeed it may be excepted, that some 

 moths do not feed, nor take any sustenance whatever, the females in particular ; nor 

 have some any visible organs for such purpose. 



How many different species of moths and butterflies we have now in England, it 

 is certainly impossible even to form a judgment of. However, of those already known 

 our catalogue amounts to between four and five hundred : of flies we have about fifty ; 

 neither is there much expectation of any more ever being discovered.* But of moths 

 something new may be found almost every day, if sought after with diligence, 



The distinguishing Character between a Moth and a Butterfly, considered in their caterpillar, 



chrysalis, and winged states. 



First, then, to begin with the winged state. The horns or antennae of a butterfly 

 have a knob or ball at the extremity or end of each ; and are for the most part nearly 

 straight. The antennae of moths chiefly diminish gradually, and end in a sharp 

 point; though indeed some swell about the middle, or towards the point or end; 

 some are comb-like, and very broad, others appear like fine thread ; and most of 



* Since the time of Harris great additions have been made to the lists of British Lepidopterous insects, the entire 

 number of which is now ascertained to be at least two thousand. Of these, about eighty are well ascertained species of 

 Butterflies, in addition to which about fifteen others have been introduced, but upon doubtful authority. Even within the 

 last twelve months two additional species of Butterflies have been introduced into our Catalogues. J. 0. W. 



