the Caterpillars failing from the bufhes, or 
wafhed off by rain on the grafs, v/ould or might 
be eaten by cows or other cattle, by which 
means they would be infe6led; the confequence 
of which muft be a peftilence throughout all 
London, if not all England. 
As to the hiftory of thefe infc6lsi fo fir as relates 
to the charges laid againft them with refpe6l; to 
their being poifonous, infeftious, or devouring 
fruit-trees- in the firft place^ they are eaten by 
fuch birds as, according to various travellers, 
will eat of no fruits that are poifonous or hurt- 
ful: and further, travellers in foreign countries 
will not, nay dare not, eat of any fruits unknown 
to them, except they perceive that the birds 
have firft pecked them. Neither do they feed on 
fruit-trees, their food being only white-thorn or 
oak, the latter of which they are extremely fond 
of. Thofe caterpillars which deftroy fruit- 
trees, according to the moft celebrated natura- 
lifts, are theDiftaff Urmincj the Little Ermine ; 
and the Apple-Moth. 
Fig. 6. Privet. The caterpillar of this grand 
Moth feeds on the privet, and Ibmetimes on the 
lilach. When full fed, it is about four inches 
in length, and of a fine green colour : the head 
is bordered down each fide with black; on each 
fide of the body there are feven oblique ftripes 
of purple and white; and at the tail is fixed a 
fliarp-pointed horn- like appendage, which is 
black and glofly. 
It goes into the ground about the middle of Au- 
guft, where it changes into a large brown chry- 
falis; and about the fixth or feventh of June, 
a fine grand and beautiful large Moth makes 
it's appearance, v»/hich meafures, from tip to 
tip, above five inches. 
This is one of the Sphinx kind. It flies in the 
evening after dark, but is feldom taken in the 
Moth ftate. The caterpillars are eafily found in 
privet-hedges, by fearching underneath for 
them: they are black, and about the fize of a 
pea, but in form like a piece cut from a fmall 
rope. 
Fig. 7. Forester. The caterpillar of this lit- 
tle green Moth feeds on that forrel which grows 
in meadows. When at full fize, it is about an 
inch in length, thick in the middle, and fmall 
' at both ends; and in colour fomething like 
wainfcot. When full fed, it fpins a web, 
within which it makes another, wherein it 
changes into a chryfalis, about the third of 
. May: in this ftate it lies about twenty-four 
days, or until the twenty-feventh of May. 
This is alfo clafted with the Sphinxes, though 
tiiere is no comiparifon between them, fcarcely 
even in their antennse. 
The Moths may be often found in m.eadov/s, on 
the grafs : and they fly in the day-tim.e. 
Fig. 8. Burnet. This Moth is very beautiful 
in it's appearance. The caterpillar ufually 
feeds on a plant called burner, but will alfo feed 
on grafs. It is rather above an inch in length; 
and iliaped like the Forefter, thick in the mid- 
dle, and fmall at both ends. It is of a yellow 
colour, fpotted all over with black : thofe fpots 
down the back appear in the ftiape of crefcents 
or half moons. When full fed, which is gene- 
rally about the middle of May, it fpins a web 
fomething like a bag hanging to a blade of 
grafs, wherein it changes to a black chryfalis: 
in this ftate it remains till the beginning of 
June, when the Moth makes it's appearance. 
This Modi is of a beautiful green colour on the 
body and upper wings : the inferior wings are 
a fine fcarlet; and there are fix fpots of the fame 
fcarlet colour on the fuperior; but the male has 
no more than five. 
This is one of thofe Moths which has the fenfe 
and cunning to feign itfelf dead, or lie ftill with 
it's legs contraded when it finds itfelf in dan- 
ger, and will remain fo for a long time; but 
at length it takes a fudden fpring, and flies off. 
They fly about meadows, in the day-time, in 
abundance. 
Fig. 9. The Lascar. This beautiful Moth was 
brought from Aracan, about three hundred 
miles to the fouth-eaft of the mouth of the. 
Ganges, in the Bay of Bengal. They fly in 
the day-time, among the llirubs and rice in 
particular, in great numbers. The thorax is of 
a tawny colour, having ten fmall round black 
fpots ; it hath alfo two on the fhoulder liga- 
ments of each fuperior wing ; the vv^ings in ge- 
neral are of a cream colour beautifully tipt witii 
dark brown ; befides a large fpot of the fame 
colour in the middle of each of the fuperior 
wings. The abdomen is of a beautiful red 
hue, with a row of round black fpots on each 
fide, not to be perceived in the drav/ing, becaufe 
near the under-fide. 
Fig. 10. Green Silver Lines. The antenna; 
of this Moth are red, and like fine threads; the 
thorax is of a light green colour; the abdomen 
is nearly white; the fuperior wings are of a pea- 
green hue, having three white lines of a pearly 
glofs, which erofs the wing obliquely; the in- 
ferior wings are a greenifli white 5 the under 
fide is of the fame colour; and the legs are red. 
The caterpillar feeds on oak, and adheres verv 
ftrongly to the branches. When full fed, 
which is in September, it fpins a ftrong cafe, 
in form not unlike the bottom of a boat, 
wherein it changes to a fiefli-coloured chryfa- 
lis, fliaded on the back part with purple. The 
Moth appears about the latter end of May. 
Fig. II. Argent and Sable. This beautifully 
chequered Moth is found in thofe lanes where 
there is plenty of white-thorn. The antennae 
are fomewhat like threads; the head, thorax, 
and abdomen, are white dappled with black j 
and the wings are of a clear white colour, che- 
quered with zigzag or angulated fpots of fine 
black. 
Thefe Moths, which are extrennely fcarce, are 
taken, about the fixth of June, in lanes which 
lead through woods hedged with white-thorn. 
PLATE THE SECOND. 
Fig. I. Cream Spotted Tiger. This Moth is 
totally of a cream colour, except the abdomen^ 
which feems to glow with a fine orange, deco- 
rated with fix oblong black fpots down the up- 
per part. The fuperior and inferior wings are 
befprinkled with fpots of the fame colour, and 
nearly of the fame fize; of v\?hich fome are dif- 
pofed in a lineal dire<ilion from the middle of 
the 
