NATURAL HISTORY, vi I 
dire& contrary courfe, and to circulate from the head to the tail; fo. 
that the caterpillar may be confidered as the embryo animal, in which, 
as we have formerly feen, the circulation is carried on differently from 
What it is in animals when excluded. 
‘ But leaving the other parts of the butterfly, let us turn our atten- 
tion particularly to the head. ‘The eyes of butterflies have not all the 
fame form ; for in fome they are large, in others fmall; in fome they 
are the larger portion of a {phere, in others they are but a {mall part 
of it, and juft appearing from the head. In all of them, however, 
the outward coat has a luftre, in which may be difcovered the various 
colours of the rainbow. When examined alittle clofely, it will be 
found to have the appearance. of a multiplying glafs; having a great 
number of fides, or facets, in the manner of a brilliant cut diamond 
In this particular, the eye of the butterfly, and of moft other infects; 
entirely correfpond ; and. Luenhoek pretends, there are above fix thous 
fand facéts on the cornea of a flea. Thefe animals, therefore, fee not 
Only with great clearnefs; but view every object multiplied in a fur- 
Prifing manner. Puget adapted the cornea of a flea in fuch a pofition, 
as to fee objects through it by the means of a microfcope; and nothing 
Could exceed the ftrangenefs of its reprefentations + a foldier, who was 
feen through it, appeared like an army of pigmies ; for while it mul- 
tiplied, it alfo diminifhed the obje@t: the arch of a bridge exhibited 
2 {peGtacle more magnificent than human fkill could perform; the 
flame of a candle feemed a beautiful illumination. It till, however, 
-Yemains a doubt, whether the infect fees objects fingly, as with one 
eye; or whether every facet is itfelf a complete eye, exhibiting its own 
Objea difting from all the reft. : 
_ Butterflies, as well as moft other flying infects, have two infiruments;, 
dike horns, on their heads which are commonly called feelers. They 
differ from the horns of greater animals, in being rnoveable at their 
bate ; and having a great number of joints, by which means the infe& 
is enabled to turn them in every direGiion. Thofe of butterflies are pla: 
ed at the top of the head, pretty near the external edge of each eye. 
hat the ufe of thefe infruments may be, which are thus formed with 
© much art, and by a Workman who does nothing without reafon, is 
as yet unknown to man. They may ferve to guard the eyes they may 
be of ufe to clean it; or they may be the organ of fome fenfe which 
We are ignorant of: but this is only explaining one difficulty by another. 
We are not fo ignorant of the ufes of the trunk, which few infects of 
the butterfly kind are without. ‘This inftrument is placed exadtly be- 
tween the eyes; and when the animal is not employed in fecking its 
Rourithment, it is rolled up, like a curl. A butterfly, when it is feeds 
ing, flies round fome flcewer, and fettles upon it. The trunk is then 
Uncurled, and thruft out either wholly or in part; and is employed if 
fearching the flower to its very bottom, let it be ever fo deep. This 
fearch being repeated feven.or eight times, the butterfly then pafles to . 
Another; and continues to hover over thofe agreeable to its tate, like 
@ bird over its prey. ‘This trunk confifts of two equal hollow tubes; 
Ricely joined to each other, like the pipes of an organ. : 
Such is the figure and conformation of thefe beautiful infeéts, that 
cheer our walks, and give us the earlielt intimations of fummer. But 
tis not by day alone that they are feen Gutterin g wantonly from flower 
ieee ase is 
