THE MOTHS. 
459 
wings are wrapped up, and folded round the body, fo as 
to give the infed a cylindrical form : And, laftly, tha 
family of alucitae have their wings fplit, or divided into 
different branches, almofi to their bafe *. 
The greater part of thefc phalange, or moths, when at 
liberty in the fields, only fly during the night, or towards 
the evening : Thofe which are domefticated in boxes 
made for that purpofe, give indications by their fluttering 
within when the natural period of their activity ap- 
proaches. During the day they remain quiet, and ap- 
parently reconciled to their confinement; they flutter 
throughout the whole extent of their prifons, and teftify 
their impatience at their want of freedom. 
All the diurnal butterflies are provided with a roftrum 
for gathering, and for the reception of their food ; a great 
part of the phalaenge are entirely deftitute of that organ, 
while in others it is fo fmall as fcarcely to be difcernible 
with the naked eye. This Angular faft hath been fully 
inveftigated by the indefatigable Reaumur, who, after 
examining many moths with a ftrong magnifier, has not 
been able to difcover the fmalleft veftige of a mouth f. 
A confiderable number, therefore, of thefe animals, mult 
pafs the whole of their winged Hate without food : Thefe 
cannot be deftruilive to cloth or. furs, except while they 
Remain in the form of worms. 
The caterpillars from which the various fpecies of 
moths are produced, exhibit nearly the fame variety of 
appearance as the winged infe&s which fpring from them. 
Some are large, while others are extremely minute; 
many are provided with ten, others twelve and fourteen 
♦set ; the largeft and moli common have fixteen. Some 
3 M 2 of 
* Vide Syft. Nat. Ord. III. Gen. 3. f Tom. I. Mem. vii. p, sf£,. 
