LECTURE I. 7 



words of the describer) " two strange phaenomena 

 of Nature, whose bodies were green, and covered 

 or slated over, in regular and exact chesses, repre- 

 senting shell-work: the heads of these animals 

 were exactly like that of a Lion, and upon the 

 slightest touch, it darted out two spears behind, of 

 the finest scarlet colour, and at the same time one 

 before, which was white, and shaped like the paw 

 of a bear: they had each of them fourteen legs, 

 and on each side the back of these wonderful 

 creatures, was the representation of the animal 

 itself, in perfect white, which shone like silver." 



It is extremely easy to all who are conversant 

 in the history of insects, to guess what these for- 

 midable monsters must have been : viz. a brace of 

 harmless Caterpillars, of a species, singular indeed 

 in appearance, but by no means very uncommon, 

 and which do, by a slight aggravation, in some 

 degree justify the description of the observer. 



A few years ago, a description, {accompanied 

 by a figure,) of one of the most common insects in 

 England, but in its first state, (in which it always 

 resides under water) was given, with much solem- 

 nity, in a periodical publication, (the Gentleman's 

 Magazine) and was considered by its describer. 



