Branch, and always faften them with fuch a binding Glue, that the heaviest Rains can't wash them away.

You will find fome Caterpillars, who, in their Works, neither imitate the Mafon nor Carpenter; but artificially fpin themselves a warm Robe to fecure themselves from the Rain. We fhall give you a clearer Conception of this curious Work, when we come to defcribe the Cones of Silk Worms; 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 beauti. ful Leaf, on which the 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 leaft Model or Inftructions, immediately, with a Kind of Emulation, betake themselves to fpinning, and with their Threads induftriously weave themfelves Beds, and a spacious 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 the Manfior, through which the Family fometimes takes the Air towards Noon, in a fine Sunfhine, and fometimes in the Night, when the Weather is fettled. When you would open the 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 surrounded with several Folds of the Web they have fpun, which at once fupplies them with their Quilts, their Curtains, and their Tent.

Chevalier. 'Tis extremely furprizing to fee fuch tenderAnimals pass the Winter in this Manner; but it amazes me yet more, that they fhould live all that Seafon without eating.

Count. There are various Species of Birds, Reptiics, 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.

An Objection
against the regular
Generation of
Caterpillars.

Countefs. 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.

Prior. This I have often observed, myself. One shall fee, for Inftance, a fwarm of little Flies marching out of a living Caterpillar, thro' the Apertures they have pierced in her Skin. We fometimes obferve feveral Worms proceeding from that Animal; after which they enfold themselves in a Covering of Thread, and seem in a short Time to be changed into Flies. I have even feen Flies extremely fmall iffae from the Eggs of Papilio's.

Chevalier. If one Species is thus changed into another, the Generation of Infects can never be regular and uniform. Count. These Flies are not the Offspring of the Caterpillar, who never engendered any Animal whatever; and it is impoffible they fhould be the Progeny of the Papilio, who can produce nothing but the Eggs of Papilio's. The Microscope has enabled me to unravel this Mystery, and I have discovered, by it's Affiftance, two Apertures in the Eggs of thofe Papilio's, from whom the little Flies fpring: One of them is very large, and it affords the Fly a Paffage out of the Egg: The other is extremely small, 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 and when this is accomplished, it throws away the fpoils of a Worm; and then the little Chryfalis, which lay involved in thofe Spoils, produces the small Fly that iffues from the Egg.

there;

There are feveral Species of Flies who faften on the Body of a Caterpillar, and depofit their Eggs in the PunEtures they have made in that Animal; in Confequence. of which, thofe Eggs are productive of Worms, Aurelia's, and Flies. A Variety of Mistakes, with Relation to the Origin of Infects, have been occafioned, for want of know

* Vallifneri, Tom. i. Edit. Fol.

ing the Method Flies take, to depofite their Eggs in fuch Places as can beft 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 those Caterpillars* that feeds on the Leaves of Elms; and from that Puncture proceeded one of those Flies that gave 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 its Enemy, who lies in Ambush in the Centre of the Web. The Spider immediately falls from its Situation, stunned with the Shock; but in his Descent, always fpins his Way down. The Fly takes Advantage of his Adverfary's Disorder, fprings from his Body, and after he has dragged him to the Earth, breaks all his Legs; he then wheels very fiercely round 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.

Chevalier. 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 disarmed him, and when he had offered him a thousand Insults, 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 supply 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 Exactnefs of their Operations.

.

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

Prior. How is it poffible to be unaffected The Metamor- with this little Miracle of Nature: Open phofis. one of these Aurelia's, 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 compofes the nutrimental Juices which contribute to the Growth of a more perfect Animal. The Time for its Enlargement at laft arrives, and the Creature then forces its Way through the Prison that contained it. The Head difengages tfelf through the Aperture, the Horns lengthens, the Legs and Wings are extended, and at laft the Butter-fly takes its Flight through the Air, and retains no Similitude of its former Condition. The Caterpillar, who is changed into a Nymph, and the Butter-fly that proceeds from it, are two Animals entirely different.

The first was altogether terrestrial, and crawled heavily along the Ground. 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 first was all fhaggy, and frequently of an hideous Afpect. The other is arrayed in Colours of the most beautiful Glow. The former ftupidly confines 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 Embellishments.

Countess. The Prior has given us a very agreeable Image of our own Refurrection.

Prior. All Nature abounds with fenfible Images of celestial Things, and the tublimeft 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 Matter, 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.

Countefs.

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