THE BUTTERFLY. 
309 
Nor is it the wings alone that are thus increased ; all their 
spots and paintings, before so minute as to be scarcely dis- 
cernible, are proportionably extended; so that, what a few 
minutes before seemed only a number of confused, unmean- 
ing points, now become distinct and most beautiful orna- 
ments. 
The wing, at the instant it is freed from its confinement, 
is considerably thicker than afterwards; so that it spreads 
in all its dimensions, growing thinner as it becomes broader. 
If one of the wings be plucked from the animal just set free, 
it may be spread by the fingers, and it will soon become as 
broad as the other, which has been left behind. As the 
wings extend themselves so suddenly, they have not yet had 
time to dry ; and accordingly appear like pieces of wet 
paper, soft, and full of wrinkles. In about half an hour, 
they are perfectly dry, their wrinkles entirely disappear, and 
the little animal assumes all its splendour. 
The number of these beautiful animals is very great ; and 
though Linnaeus has reckoned up above seven hundred and 
sixty different kinds, the catalogue is still very incomplete. 
Kvery collector of butterflies can shew undescribed species, 
•Hid such as are fond of minute discovery, can here pro- 
duce animals that have been examined only by himself. In 
general, however, those of the warmer climates are larger 
and more beautiful than such as are bred at home. 
The wings of butterflies, as was observed, fully distinguish 
them from flies of every other kind. They are four in number ; 
*'md though two of them be cut off, the animal can fly with the 
two others remaining. They are, in their own substance, 
transparent ; but owe their opacity to the beautiful dust with 
which they are covered : if we regard the wing of a butterfly 
With a good microscope, we shall perceive it studded over with 
a variety of little grains of different dimensions and forms, 
generally supported upon a footstalk, regularly laid upon the 
vv ho!e surface. The wing Itself is composed of several mem- 
branes, which vender the construction very strong, though 
light ; and though it be covered over with thousands of these 
Scales or stalls, yet its weight is very little increased by the 
number. The animal is with ease enabled to support itself a 
long while in the air, although its flight be not very graceful. 
h hen it designs to fly to a considerable distance, it ascends 
: >nd descends alternately; going sometimes to the right, 
8 ornetimes to the left, without any apparent reason. Upon 
closer examination, however, it will be found that it flies 
'bus irregularly in pursuit of its mate: and as dogs bait and 
T'arter the ground in pursuit of their game, so these insects 
