THE BUTTEREIY. 
453 
Various infefts prey upon the butterfly, or haflen the 
approach of its diffolution. A certain fpecies of fly 
makes its way into its body, while yet a worm, and 
there depofits its eggs, and, although this worm continues 
to live, and be metamorphofed into a chryfalid, no but- 
terfly is produced from it , thofe internal parts that were 
effential to its prefervation, being confumed by the larvae 
of thefly. From the great fecundity and variety of the 
infefts of this genus, they probably would foon cover 
the furface of the earth, did not nature provide a bar to 
their increafe, by multiplying their enemies: hence they 
are deftined to become the food of a great number of a- 
nimals of various kinds, fome of which fwallow them 
entirely, others macerate their bodies ; while many ac- 
complifh their deftruftion by gradually fucking their 
juices. A Angle pair of fparrows, in order to fupply 
themfelves and their young, may deftroy, as is fuppofed, 
three thoufand, three hundred and fixty butterflies in one 
week f . 
The vail number of animals belonging to this genus, 
and the variety and richnefs of their colourmg, afford 
ample fcope to the painter for the exercife of his art. 
It was chiefly of thefe inlefts that Madame Mariamne- 
exhibited thofe exquifite drawings that conftitute the pe- 
culiar merit of her work. It is principally in Ame- 
rica, the Eajl Indies , and China, that thofe fpecies are 
found, which conftitute the ornament of our collections. 
From the policy of the latter country, the ladies are cir- 
oumfcribed m their amufements ; there they domefti- 
3 L 3 cate 
t Vide a General Treatife on Hufbandry, See, by Mr Bradely, Profef- 
h>t of Botany in Cambridge, 1734. 
