[ 459 3 
their Neft, and this often by feveral Windings and 
Turnings, without lofing their Way. Their Ait in 
doing it deferves notice: It is the fame that Ari- 
adne made ufe of to bring The feus out of the Laby- 
rinth in Crete : They fpin over all the Places where 
they go. The lft leads the Way ; the 2d follows, 
{pinning} the 3d fpins after the 2d and ift, and fo 
on with the reft. All thefe Threads form by degrees 
a fmall ihining Track, a little Path, a Line or Two 
Lines broad 5 and ail thefe Paths meet at the Neft, 
the Centre, as it were, oi all thofe feveral Rays. 
But to be plainly convinced of the Ufe of thefe 
Threads, let one but break off the Continuation of 
them in fome Place or other, one will fee with Afto- 
nifhment the little Caterpillars turn back as at a Lofs, 
without daring to proceed, till one or other, of more 
Courage than the reft, has reftored the Communi- 
cation, by fpinning new Threads. 
II. Caterpillars , like Men, have particular Taftes 
(I take the word Tajle here in its proper Senfe) . I 
have obferved fome, to whom even the Shell of the 
Ego- they were come out of, was agreeable Food. 
This Fa£t is not abfolutely new. M. de Reaumur 
informs us *, that M. drlaupertui^ has made the like 
Oblervation. 
But what I have feen more, and which will appear 
fm^ular, is, that certain Caterpillars are not content 
with gnawing the Shell of the Eggs they came out 
of themfelves, but will gnaw alfo thofe of other 
Caterpillars oi their own Species, that are near upon 
hatching. 
* Memoires fur les Infcdtes, Tom. IF p. 165. 
O O O 2 
An- 
