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the caterpillar o f the brown-tailed moth,* which was fo uncommonly
numerous and deftru&ive near London, in the year 1782,
at the approach o f winter not only fecure and ftrengthen the web
in which the fociety inhabit, and thus, protefl themfelves from
impertinent intruders, but each individual alfo fpins a cafe for it-
felf, where it refts, in torpid, fecurity, notwithftanding the inclemency
o f the feafon, till the fpring animates it afrefh, and
informs them that the all-bountiful Author of nature has provided
food convenient for them. Many that are hatched in the autumn’
retire and live under the earth during the winter months, but in;
the fpring come out, feed, and proceed onward to their feveral
changes; while no fmall part pafs the colder months in their
chryfalis, or pupa Hate: but the greater number of the caterpillar
race remain in the egg, being carefully depolited by the parent
fly in thofe places where they will be hatched with- the greateft.
fafety and fuccefs; in this ftate the latent principle o f life is pre--
ferved till the genial influences o f the fpring call it into aftion,.
and bring forth, the young infeft to {hare the banquet that nature
has provided; then wherever we turn, or wherever we move, we
find this infect in. one fhape or another..
“ When.firft breaks forth the bright enlivning ray ;
* * * * * * * * * * *
------------ The gay, the quick’ning infefts rife,.
And gilded fquadrons ftrike our wond’ring eyes;
Mafic flies wanton from ten thoufand wings,
And-life and joy through ev’ry region rings.”— -t
All:
* Curtis’ s fliort hiftory of the brown-tailed moth,
Brooke’s Univerfal Beauty,,
All caterpillars are hatched from the egg, and when they firft
proceed from it are generally fmall and feeble, but grow in
ftrength as they increafe in fize. The body of the caterpillar is
divided into twelve rings ; the head is connefted with the.firft,
and is hard and cruftaceous. No caterpillar o f the moth or butterfly
has lefs than eight, or more than fixteen feet; thofe which
have more than fixteen are not the larva o f the moth or butterfly;
the fix firft feet are cruftaceous, pointed, and fixed to the three
firft rings o f the body; thefe feet--are the covering to the fix
future feet of the moth; the other fix feet are foft and flexible,
or membranaceous; they vary both in figure and number, and are
proper only to the larva ftate: with refpeft to their external
L u re they are either fmooth or hairy, foft to the touch, or hard
like fhagreen, beautifully adorned with a great variety o f the
moft lively tints; on each fide of the body nine little oval holes
are placed, which are generally confidered as the organs o f
refpiration. There are on each fide o f the head o f the caterpillar
five or fix little black fpots, which are fuppofed to be it’s eyes.
Thefe creatures vary in fize, from half an inch long to four
and five inches.
The caterpillar, whofe life is one continued fucceffion of
chances often moults it's Ikin before it attains it's M l growth.
Thefe changes are the more fmgol.r, becaufe «hen the caterpillar
moolis, h is not Amply the Ikin .halts changed; for we
find in the exnvia the Ik till, the jaws, and all the extenor pahs
both fcaly and membranaceous, winch compote . . . upper and
under lip, it’s aetenme, palp, and even thofe orufi.ceous p.eces
S ,h head, which ferve •> a feed bafts to , number o f
W1U1 _ „ . . __• Imraml a. the CI3.WS.