arrangement. Accordingly he feems by his preface to this tribe, not
to be fanguiiie about his fuccefs in it. His labours in it however do
him great honour; and although we do not adopt his genera and fub-
divifions, we admire his acutenefs in characterizing fpecies. It is only
to be regretted that this illultrious writer could not have had before
him at one view, all the fpecies he had previoufly defcribed of each
genus, that he might, as much as poffible, have placed together fuch
as were naturally related; for in this his laft publication is perhaps
more defective than in any other refpeCt.
In naming the new fpecies of the prefent publication, attention has
been paid to well eftablifhed rules, and every thing conlidered that
could affift the memory, or give any information. The editor flatters
himfelf the pains he has taken in this department will hot be thought
ufelefs. In {hewing what is to be done by a little confideration and
accuracy, he may perhaps have afforded a frefh example that this part
of the fcience may conduce to real knowledge, and that the memory
and the judgment may affift each other. To fome his labours will
appear trifling and fruitlefs. There have been naturalifts who, if they
could but add names to the fteril lumber of their memories, cared
little about the philofophy of things. Thefe have juftly thrown a dif-
grace on the ftudy they purfued, and have almoft juftified the paradox
for which others have contended, that names which meant nothing
were the beft. But furely, if it be at all ufeful to know one natural
object from another, the memory cannot have too many helps, in fo
vaft a fcience as natural hiftory is now become.
The figures in this work are intended to give as full a reprefenta-
tion of every fpecies as is neceflary to diftinguifh them. The complete
infeCt, of both fexes when there is any difference between them,
along with the chryfalis and caterpillar from whence it fprung, accompany
the plant upon which each fpecies depends for its foie, or principal,
nourifhment. Of the Papiliones, or Butterflies, both upper and
under fides are frequently given; there being in many cafes a great
difference between thofe different parts. But as the under fides of
Phaltzncz, or Moths, bear a much greater refemblance to the upper,
being generally of a paler hue only, fome flight account of fuch differences
renders a delineation unneceffary. In -thefe however the
two fexes often differ remarkably, even more than fome other dif-
tirnft fpecies, and hence they occafionally require to be feparately
exhibited.
North America, according to Mr. Abbot’s obfervations, produces
a number of curious fpecies of infers, very different from thofe of
England, moft of them difperfed through the whole country. Of
thefe it appears to poffefs fome in common with South America and
the Weft Indies; while others are more local. Some fpecies agree
with Englifh ones, as a few of the Lackey, Tuffock, and Argus tribes.
Several caterpillars, quite different from any found in England, produce
moths very like fome of our own, as the Dagger and Grey
Moths; while, on the other hand, caterpillars refembling Englifh
ones turn to infers totally diftintft from ours, as in the genus Sphinx
and fome Phalcena.
Georgia affords almoft every Virgjnian fpecies, along with many
others; yet in the autumn caterpillars are much more abundant in
Virginia than in Georgia. In the laft-mentioned country it is not
found worth while to dig for infers in the chryfalis dale, a means by
which fo many curious hinds are obtained-in Europe;, for Georgia is
a very woody country, and infedts are but thinly fcatteredover-it.
In the fummer many butterflies frequent wet or damp places, in
court yards, about houfes, and at the fords of rivulets, taking delight
in flicking moifture from the ground.
There are not many moths to be caught in an evening.'- Several