MOT 
bbllges them to conceal themfelves in fiica con- > 
Venient holes as they can find, whe-rein they lie 
till the enfuing fpring awakes them from their 
dormant (late. When full fed, tiiey fpin them- 
felves into whitifii webs, wherein they change to 
black chryfalideS) which are covered with a fine 
bloom like that on the plum. In this ftate they 
remiain three weeks, or until the beginning of 
June, when the beautifully dappled creatures 
make their appearance. The different fexes 
are eafily diftinguifhedi the abdomen of the 
female being of a bright fcarlet colour, and that 
of the male of an orange clay. 
They always fly in meads near woods, or perhaps 
in fuch woods as afford pleafant glades, where 
they are not much troubled with the brufii or 
fmall wood ; and on this account they have of- 
ten been called Wood-Tigers. Their time of 
flight is generally about three or four o'clock in 
the afternoon: they fly very fwiftly, and com- 
monly fettle on the ground in the grafs. If 
any perion be prefent when one of them fettles, 
and intends to take it, he is carefully to ob- 
ferve the place, then run as fall as he can, 
and cover it with his net; for thefe infecfls 
are very timorous, and foon apprifed of danger; 
and fhould the perfon approach flowly, rliey 
would have time to difengage themfelves from 
the grafs, in which a fudden alarm caufed by a 
fwift motion but the more confufes and entan- 
gles them. 
Fig. ^. Pink Underwing. The caterpillar 
feeds on ragwort, and may be found about the 
latter end of July, nearly full fed. It is of a 
golden yellow colour, having a number of black 
belts or rings from the head to the tail. "When 
fit to change, it creeps down the plant, and 
conceals itfelf in any little hole, or under a 
piece of dirt, where it changes to a chryfalis, 
that is very fmall confidering the length and 
fize of the caterpillar, which is near two inches 
in length; but the chryfalis never exceeds half 
an inch. In this ftate it lies till the end of 
May, when it burfts it's Ihell, and makes it's 
appearance. It's firfi: aft is to climb the ncareft 
thing it approaches, to which it hangs by it's 
legs, in order to expand and dry it's wings; af- 
ter which it takes flight. The fuperior wings 
are of a footy black colour, having a long 
ftreak on the feftor edge of the wing, which 
reaches from the fhoulder to the apex or tip ; 
and on the fan edge of the wing there are alfo 
two fpots of the fame red colour. The inferior 
wings are of a fine deep fcarlet red hue, though 
are falfely named Pink Underwings. 
This fpecies always flies in the day-time. 
Fig. 4. Large Magpie. With the caterpillar of 
this beautifully fpotted Moth thofe who have 
gardens are but already too w^ell acquainted. 
It feeds on the currant-trees, which are it's 
chief, if not only food. It is of a delicately 
pleafing white colour, with large black fpots 
down the back from the head to the tail. The 
fides have each a line of fpots of the fame black 
colour intermixed with red. It is of the looper 
kind, of which there is a great variety; and in 
it's progrefs contracts it's hinder parts up to it's 
fore, at which time it appears in the form of a 
loop or fliaple; then it ftretches itfelf, or extends 
it's fore-part as far as it can ; and then draws up 
■ it's hinder parts again: and this is rj-,c manner 
in which it moves from place to place. Th^ 
Germans call thefe infers Meafurers or Survey- 
ors. They live in their caterpillar ftatedui ing 
the winter; and may eafily be found by thofe 
who look for them on currant-bufhes. About 
April they begin to feed again, and arrive at 
maturity about the beginning of June, when 
they fpin very Vv^eak webs under rails, or in any 
little fheltered places, where they change into 
black chryfalides, having feveral rings or bands 
of yellow round their tails. 
Thefe pretty Moths appear intv^^enty-onedays; and 
they always fly in the evening after fun-fct. 
Fig. 5. Brown Tail. This Moth is of a white 
colour, fhlning like filk; but the hinder or lower 
part of the tail is loaded v.'ith a bunch of flue or 
hair of a dark brown colour. . With this flue 
the female covers her eggs as foon as flie has 
laid them, namely, in the month of July. 
The caterpillars are produced from thefe eggs 
about eight or nine days afterwards; when, as 
with one confent, they begin to contract and 
draw the leaves together with great ftrcngth : 
as they grow larger, they make them ftronger 
and mere compadl; and, by the time the incle- 
ment winter approaches, they are fo well fpun 
over, web upon web, as even to defy the bill of 
a fparrow: and they are alfo very artfully con- 
trived ; for the paffages into them are ferpentine, 
like thofe of fhells. 
In fine weather, they come abroad, feeding and 
walking about, or lying in clufters clofe toge- 
ther; but fliould the wind blow too hard, or a 
fliower of rain come on, they infl:antly return to 
their webs in great hafte. 
About the month of June, they begin to feparate, 
being in their laft fliins; and, when full fed, 
each fpins a web, wherein it changes to a chry- 
falis, which is about the latter end of June; and 
the Moth appears about the latter end of July. 
Thefe are the infedts whofe caterpillars occafioned 
fo great an alarm, not only in the environs of the 
city of London, but all over England, in the 
years 178 1 and 178a. In 178 1, great notice 
was taken of their being fo numerous; the 
hedges and bufhes being covered, as ufual, 
with their webs, for they are alv/ays very plen- 
tiful. The gentlemen of the Society for the 
Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and 
Commerce, then publiflied an advertifement in 
the newfpapers, foliciting the favour of any 
perfon to inform them refpefting the befl: and 
readiefl: way to defl:roy them. A letter was ac- 
cordingly received by the fociety from a pro- 
fefix)r of natural hifbory, importing, that as every 
method had been in vain ufed, by fumiga- 
tions, powders, poifonous waters, &c. to de- 
fl:roy them, the only refource left, and indeed 
the beft, was to employ people in cutting off 
their nefts in winter, at which time they v/ere 
fo plainly to be feen on the bufhes, and either 
to burn or bury them. In confequence of thefe 
inftrudlions, letters appeared every day for fome 
time in rnofl: of the newfpapers, difturbing the 
minds of the vulgar with the dreadful confe- 
quences which would naturally enfue from the 
exifl:ence of thofe infedlious creatures; and peo- 
ple were accordingly employed in gathering 
them, at the rate of flxpence per bufhel. It was 
likev/ife m.entioned in one of thefe letters, that 
the 
