204 



Microscopical Ess. y s. 



and diftant periods, viz. one-third of them the fpring following 

 their change, one-third more the fucceeding fpring, and the 

 remainder the fpring after ; making three years from their firft 

 hatching \, a further and manifeft proof of the beauty and wif- 

 dom of the laws of Divine order, which are continually operating 

 for the beft interefts of all created beings. As the transformation 

 of infecls is retarded by cold, and accelerated by heat, the 

 ordinary period of thefe changes may fometimes be altered, by 

 placing them in different degrees of heat or cold ; by thefe they 

 may be awakened fooner to a new flate of exigence, or kept in 

 one of profound deep.* 



There are fome caterpillars who remain in their cone eight or 

 nine months, before they become complete chryfalifes ; fo that 

 their duration in the pupa ftate is much fhorter than it naturally 

 appears to be. 



As foon as the moth acquires fufficient ftrength to break the 

 bonds which furrOund it, and of which it is informed by its 

 internal fenfations, it makes a powerful effort to efcape from it's 

 prifon, and view the world with new-formed eyes. The moth 

 frees itfelf from the pupa with much greater eafe than the pupa 

 from the caterpillar ; for the cafe of the pupa becomes fo dry, 

 when the moth is near the time of throwing off it's covering, that 

 it will break to pieces if it be only gently preffed between the 

 fingers ; and very few of the parts will be found, on examination, 

 to adhere to the body. Hence when the infect has acquired a 

 proper degree of folidity, it does not require any great exertion 

 to fplit the membrane which covers it. A fmall degree of 



motion, 



* Reaumur Memoires fur les Infecles, torn, 2, mem. i. 



