BUT 
forth the budding leaf and the opening flower, im- 
pels the infeft into animation ; and Nature feems 
at once to furnilh the guefl: and the feaft; for when 
the infe6t has acquired fufRcient ftrength to break 
it's fliell, it always finds it's favourite aliment pro- 
vided for it in abundance. All caterpillars, hov/- 
ever, afe not protruded from their eggs in the 
fpring; many of them have fubfifted during the 
■winter in their aurelia Hate, when they are appa- 
rently deprived of life and motion. Some are in- 
clofed in a kind of fhells, v/hich they have fpun 
for themfelvps at the end of autum^n^ others are 
concealed under the bark of trees; fome in the 
chinks of old walls ; and many are buried in the 
groT-ind. But fome caterpillars do not make any 
-change whatever at the approach of winter, but 
conrinuc to live in their reptile fbate throughout 
iali the inclemencies of that feaibn. They gene- 
rally make choice of fome reureat, where they can 
remain undifturbed for months together ; and, in 
fadb, they then feem as motionlefs and infenfible as 
if they v/ere really dead. Their conftitutions are 
llich, that food would at tlieie periods be ufelefs ; 
&nd the cold prevents their making thofe diflipa- 
cions which require reftoration. In general, ca- 
terpillars of this kind are found in great numbers 
together, inclofed in one common web, which co - 
vers them all, and fcreens them from the injuries 
-cf the air. And, laftly, there are fome of the ca- 
terpillar-kind, the Butterflies of which live during 
thewinterj and, after having fluttered about a confi- 
dcrable part of the latter end of autumn, feek out a 
winter retreat, in order to anfwer the ends of propa- 
gation at the approach of fpring. Thefe are often 
-^und lifelefs and motionlefs in the hollows of trees, 
or the clefts of timber; but, on being brought near 
a fire, they recover life and aftivity, and feem to 
anticipate the defires of the fpring. In general, 
however, whether the animals have fubfifted 
in an egg ftate during the winter, as Butterflies 
bred from aurelias in the beginning of fpring, or 
as Butterflies which have fubfifted during the 
■winter, and laid eggs as foon as the leaves of 
plants were fliot forward; the whole fwarm of ca- 
terpillars are in motion to fhare the banquet that 
nature has provided. There is fcarcely a plant 
which has not it's own peculiar infedls ; and fome 
are known to fupport feveral of different kinds. 
Many of thefe are hatched from eggs, at the foot 
of the tree, and climb up to it's leaves for fubfift- 
ence ; the eggs of others have been glued by the 
parent Butterfly to the leaves; and they are no 
fooner excluded from the fliell, than they find 
themfelves in the midft of plenty. 
When the caterpillar firft burfts from the ego-, 
it is fmall and feeble, it's appetites are in propor- 
tion to it's fize, and it feems to make np great 
confumption: but, as it increafes in magnitude, it 
improves in it's appetites ; fo that, in it's adult or 
caterpillar ftaic, it is the moft ravenous of all ani- 
mals whatfoever, A fingle caterpillar will con- 
fume double it's own weight of leaves in a day, and 
feem in no refpe£c difordered by the meal. Thefe 
voracious habits, with it's flow crawling motion, 
and, ftill more, a ftinging like that of nettles,'which 
follows on handling the greateft number of them, 
render thefe infefts, to moft people, not very a- 
greeable objefts of curiofity. However, many 
philofophers have fpent years in their contempla- 
tion; and have not only attended to their habits 
and labours, but minutely examined their ftruc- 
ture and internal conformation, 
BUT 
The body of the caterpillar, when anafomlcallv* 
confidered, is found to be compofed of ringsj 
whofe circumference is nearly circular, or oval. 
Thefe annulations are generally twelve in number^, 
and all niembranaceous ; and by thefe caterpillars; 
may be diftinguiflied from many other infefts 
which nearly refemble them in fliape. The heads 
of caterpillars are conne6led to the firft rings by 
their necks; and are generally fo fliort and con- 
trailed, that they are fcarcely perceptible, All 
the covering of the head of one of thefe animals 
feems to confift of a fliell; and they have neither 
upper nor under jaws, for they are both placed ra- 
ther vertically ; and each jaw is armed with a large 
thick tooth, which is, fingly, equal to numbers. 
With thefe teeth the caterpillars devour their food 
j'n amazing quantities, and fome of the kinds de- 
fend themfelves againft their enemies. Though 
their mouths are ftiut, their teeth always remain un- 
covered ; and while the infefls are in health, they 
feldom lie idle. Whatever leaves the caterpillars 
devour, their teeth ferve to chop them into fmall 
pieces, and render their parts fit for fwallowing. 
Many kinds, while they are young, eat only the fuc- 
culent part of the leaf, and leave all the fibres un- 
touched; others, however, attack the whole leaf^ 
and eat it quite away : and it is amufing enough to 
obferve the avidity with which thefe animals feed; 
fome prolonging their feaft throughout the whole 
day, others having their ftated iiours of repaft, 
fome chufing tlic nigln:, and others the day. When 
the caterpillar attacks a leaf, it places it's body in 
fuch a fituation, that the edge of the leaf lhall fali 
between it's feet, which keep it fteady; while the 
teeth are employed in cutting the leaf, fomewhat 
after the manner of pruning-fheers ; and every 
morfel is fwallov/ed the inftant it is cur. Some 
caterpillars feed on leaves fo very narrow, that they 
are capable of managing the whole breadth ac 
once; in v/hicli cafe they devour it from the point 
downwards. 
As the fpecies of caterpillars are A^arious, fo they 
alfo differ in the number of their feet, fome having 
eight, and others fixteen. The fix foremofL are 
covered with a fort of finning griftle, and are 
therefore called the flielly legs. The hind feet, 
of whatever number diey confift, are loft and flexi- 
ble, and are thence called membranaceous. Cater- 
pillars alfo, with refped to their external figures^ 
arc either fmooth or hairy. The fl<:in of the firil 
kind is either foft to the touch, or hard like fha- 
green; while that of the latter is hairy, and fome- 
what prickly, and in general affeds the fingers 
with a fenfation like that occafioned by nettles; 
and foine of them caufe this ftinging pain if but 
approached too near. 
Caterpillars, in general, have fix fmall black 
fpots, placed on the circumference of the fore ring, 
and a little to the fide of the head. Three of 
theie fpots, which are larger than the reft, are con- 
vex and tranfparent; and thefe Reaumur confiders 
as the eyes of the caterpillars. However, moft of 
thefe animals have very little occafion for fight, and 
feem only to be directed by their feelings. But 
the ftigmata, as they are called, or thofe holes on 
the fides of the animal's body through which it is 
fuppofed to breathe, principally claim our atten- 
tion. All along the body of the infeft thefe aper- 
tures are eafily perceptible: they are eighteen in 
num'oer, nine on a fide ; and are placed rather 
nearer the belly than the back, alTbrdi-ng a hol^ 
for every ring of which the animal's body is com-* 
pofed, 
