Beautiful Butter/lies. 23 



smooth it is impossible for us to tell ; in His wisdom 

 God has so ordered it, we may be sure, for some good 

 and useful end. Upon the hairy species, it has been 



observed that the birds seldom prey ; and there is no 

 doubt some sufficient reason why they should be espe- 

 cially guarded from their enemies. 



Many of the Caterpillars are very beautifully coloured 

 and marked, appearing to have silken coats, embroi- 

 dered with gems ; this is more especially the case with 

 the larvse of some of the foreign day Lepidoptera ; in 

 this country those of the crepuscular division, or Hawk 

 Moths, are the most beautiful, and to these we shall 

 have to refer in another volume. 



There is nothing more curious in the whole history 

 of the Caterpillar than its moultings, or changes of 

 skin, of which there are, at least, three, before the full 

 size is attained. When it gets too big for its coat, the 

 creature by a laborious effort, which is a painful, and 



