The infect then calls off the fpoils o f it’s former ftate, and
appears in it’s imago or perfeft form; for it has now attained the
flate o f organic»! perfection, which anfwers to the rank it is to
hold in the corporeal world. They are now fumiffed with
wings, magnificently adorned; foar above and defpife their
former purfuits, wing the foft air, chufe their mates, and tranf-
mit their nature to a fucceeding race. Their members, which in
the preceding ftate were wrapped up, foft, and inotionlels, now
difplay themfelves, grow ftrong, and are put in exercife. I h e
interior changes are as conliderable as thofe of the exterior, form,
and that in proportion as the firll ftate differs from the laft; feme
organs acquire greater if rength and firmnefs, others are rendered
more delicate, Ibme are fuppreffed, and fome unfolded, which
did not feem to exift in the former ffages of it’s life.
“ Who that beholds the fummer’s glift’ning fwarms,
Ten thoufand thoufand gaily gilded forms,
In volant dance o f mix’d rotation play,
Balk in the beam, and beautify the day ;
Who’d think thefe airy wantons fo adorn,
Were late his vile antipathy and fcom ;
Prone to the duff, or reptile thro’ the mire,
And ever thence unlikely to afpire ?
Or who, with tranfient view beholding, loaths
Thole crawling lefts, whom vilell femblance cloahs .
Who with corruption hold their kindred ftate,
As by contempt, or negligence of fate;
Could think thatfuch, revers’d by wondrous doom,
Sublimer pow’rs and brighter forms affume ;
From
193
From death their future happier life derive,
And, tho’ apparently entomb’d, revive;
Chang’d, thro’ amazing tranfmigration, rife,
And wing the regions o f unwonted Ikies.”*
O f t h e L a r v a S t a t e .
As the larvae (caterpillars) of the moth and butterfly + form the
mpft numerous family among the tribe o f infecls, and have been
more particularly obferved than any other kind, perhaps on account
o f the ufefulnefs of one of their number, and are therefore
bell known, we ffall firft defcribe them, and their various
changes from this ftate to their laft and perfeft form, and then
proceed to thofe infefls which differ moll from the caterpillar in
one or all o f their various changes.
The greater part of thofe infefts which come forth in
fpring or fummer perilh or difappear at the approach of
winter; there are very few, the period o f whole life exceeds
that o f a year; fome furvive the rigours of winter, being
concealed and buried under ground; many are hid in the
bark o f trees, a..d others in the chinks of old walls ; fome, like
A a the
* Brooke’s TJniverfal Beauty.
+ The butterflies are diftinguifhed from the moth by the time of their flying abroad,
and by their antennas ; the butterflies appear by day, their antennas are generally
terminated by a little knob ; the moths fly moftly in the evening, and their antennas
are either fetaceous or pectinated.