fecure themselves from the Rain. We shall give you a clearer Conception of this curious Work, when we come to defcribe the Cones of SilkWorms; to which they bear a perfect Refemblance.

The Caterpillars we are most acquainted with are found in great Numbers upon Elms, Apple-Trees and Bushes. The Papilio that proceeds from thefe, chufes fome beautiful Leaf, on which fhe fixes her Eggs in Autumn, and foon after dies, glewed and extended upon her beloved Family. The Sun, whofe Rays have ftill fome Power, warms her Eggs, out of which, before the Winter Season, a Multitude of little Caterpillars fpring, who, without having ever seen their Mother, and without the least Model or Inftructions, immediately, with a kind of Emulation, betake themfelves to Spinning, and with their Threads induftriously weave themselves Beds, and a fpacious Habitation; where they fhelter themselves from the Severity of the Seafon, diftributed into different Apartments, without eating, and frequently without ftirring abroad. There is only one little Opening at the Bottom of this Mansion, through which the Family fometimes take the Air towards Noon, in a fine Sunfhine, and fometimes in the Night when the Weather is fettled. When you would open their Retreat, you must employ a little Strength to break the Tiffue that forms it, which is generally as firm as Parchment, and not to be penetrated by Rain, Wind or Cold. There you find the whole Family repofing on a foft and thick Down, and furrounded with feveral Folds of the Web they have fpun, which at once fupplies them with their Quilts, their Curtains, and their Tent.

Chev. 'Tis extremely furprizing to fee fuch tender Animals pafs the Winter in this Manner;

but

but it amazes me yet more, that they should live all that Seafon without Eating.

Count. There are various Species of Birds, Rep-. tiles and Infects, who fleep feveral Months in this manner; and as they fuffer no Diffipation of their animal Spirits, fo they want no Recruits of Food. Countess. There is an odd Peculiarity among Caterpillars, and I am very defirous of having it cleared up. In order to make a fine Collection of Papilio's, I have frequently procured, and nourished the Caterpillars that produce them; but inftead of obtaining a Birth of Papilio's from them, they have frequently disappointed me with a Race of Flies.

An Obje-
the regular
Etion against
Generation of
Caterpillars.

Prior. This I have often obferved, myself. One fhall fee, for Inftance, a swarm of little Flies. marching out of a living Caterpillar, through the Apertures they have pierced in her Skin. We fometimes obferve feveral Worms proceeding from that Animal; after which they enfold themfelves in a Covering of Thread, and feem in a short time to be changed into Flies. I have even feen Flies extremely fmall iffue from the Eggs of Papilio's.

Chev. If one Species is thus changed in another, the Generation of Infects can never be regular and uniform.

Count. These Flies are not the Offspring of the Caterpillar, who never engender'd any Animal whatever; and it is impoffible they should be the Progeny of the Pipilio, who can produce nothing but the Eggs of Papilio's. The Microscope has anabled me to unravel this Mystery, and I have discovered, by its Affiftance, two Apertures in the Eggs of thofe Papilio's, from whom the little

Vallifneri, Tom. I, Edit. Fol.

Flies fpring: One of them is very large, and it affords the Fly a Paffage out of the Egg: The other is extremely fmall, and the Fly paffed into the Eggs through this, in the Form of a Worm, which proceeds from the Egg of a Fly. This Worm penetrates the Egg of the Papilio, in order to fettle there; and when this is accomplished, it throws afide the fpoils of a Worm; and then the little Chryfalis, which lay involved in thofe Spoils, produces the fmall Fly that iffues from the Egg.

There are feveral Species of Flies who faften on the Body of a Caterpillar, and depofite their Eggs in the Punctures they have made in that Animal; in Confequence of which, thofe Eggs are productive of Worms, Aurelias, and Flies. A Variety of Mistakes, with Relation to the Origin of Infects, have been occafioned, for want of knowing the Method Flies take, to depofite their Eggs in fuch Places as can best afford a convenient Food for the Young that are afterwards to proceed from them.

Prior. I lately faw a large Fly pierce the Skin of one of thofe Caterpillars that feeds on the Leaves of Elms; and from that Puncture proceeded one of those Flies that give Battle to the Garden Spider. I wish we had the two Champions here, to entertain the Chevalier with their Combat. The Fly, at the first Encounter, darts with all its Force upon his Enemy, who lies in Ambush in the Center of his Web. The Spider immediately falls from his Situation, ftun'd with the Shock; but, in his Defcent, always fpins his Way down. The Fly takes Advantage of his Adverfary's Disorder, fprings upon his Body, and, after he has dragged him to the Earth, breaks all his Legs; he then wheels very fiercely round the

Godart, Exper. iii.

the Spider, either to feize him in fome Part where he can have no Apprehenfion of his Claws, or elfe to teftify his Joy at his Victory over the Enemy of his Species: And after he has thus marched round him two or three times, he faftens upon him, and immediately mounts into the Air with his Captive.

Chev. This Creature is the very Achilles of the Flies, and that Hero treated the unfortunate Hector exactly in this Manner; 'for, after he had overthrown him in the Duft, he difarmed him, and, when he had offered him a thousand Infults, dragged him to his Tent.

Count. If you have any Inclination to be acquainted with the other Tribes of these Creatures, their Inclinations, and various Properties, you may, while you continue in the Country, make a Collection of all their Species in little Boxes; but you must remember to fupply them every Day with green Provifions fuitable to their feveral Natures; and, when you have done this, you cannot imagine what an agreeable Amusement you will receive from the Variety and Exactness of their Operations.

Countess. For my Part, I think the Chevalier is already very attentive to the Cones that are nearest their Change, and feems to wait with Impatience for the Resurrection that is to enfue.

Prior. How is it poffible to be un

affected with this little Miracle of The MetaNature! Open one of thefe Aure- morphofis. lias, and it will feem to prefent you

with nothing but a kind of Putrefaction, in which every thing is confounded; but then, this Putrefaction contains the Elements of a better State of Existence, and composes the nutrimental Juices which contribute to the Growth of a more perfect Animal. The Time for its Enlargement, at laft

arrives,

arrives, and the Creature then forces its Way through the Prison that contained it. The Head difengages itself through the Aperture, the Horns lengthen, the Legs and Wings are extended, and, at laft, the Butterfly takes its Flight through the Air, and retains no Similitude of its former Condition. The Caterpillar, who is changed into a Nymph, and the Butterfly that proceeds from it, are two Animals entirely different. The first was altogether terreftial, and crawled heavily along the Gronnd. The fecond is Agility itself, and is fo far from limiting its Motions to the Earth, that it, in fome measure, difdains to repofe on its Lap. The firft was all fhaggy, and frequently of an hideous Afpect. The other is array'd in Colours of the most beautiful Glow. The former stupidly * confined itself to a Grofs Food; whereas this ranges from Flower to Flower, regales itself with Honey and Dews, and perpetually varies its Pleasure. This new Animal enjoys all Nature in full Liberty, and is itself one of her amiable Embelishments. Countefs. The Prior has given us a very agreeable Image of our own Refurrection.

Prior. All Nature abounds with fenfible Images of celeftial Things, and the fublimeft Truths; and a real Profit perpetually redounds from the Contemplation of her Works. This is a Theology that is conftantly well received, because it is always intelligible. The greatest of all Mafters, or rather our only Mafter, has taught us this Method, by taking the chief Part of his Inftructions from the most common Objects Nature prefented to his View; and in particular he has given us an Image of the Refurrection, in a Grain of Wheat, that continues unmultiplied till it dies; but as foon as it is rotten in the Earth, produces a large Profufion of Grain.

Countess.