INTRODUCTION.
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TheOpinion ofEquivocal Generationhowever formerly received, has by the present Age been deservedly rejected; since every Observation proves, that all Creatures are produced by Parents of their own Kind, and that in general those Parents are Male and Female; and the Production of everyMothandButterflyin this Manner, is I believe at present not doubted by any Body.
TheFemales, both of theMothandButterfly, lay their Eggs in a short Time after Copulation,uponor contiguoustowhat will supply proper Food for the young Brood when produced. After a certain Period the InfantCaterpillarsincluded in the Eggs burst their Shells, crawl forth, and feed upon the Provision ready prepared for them. And each of theseCaterpillars, having fed its appointed Time, becomes aChrysalisorAurelia; from which State, after a while, it issues forth aFlyin the Likeness of its Parent.
SomeSpecies ofButterfliesbreed twice a Year. Those that come forth inMaylay their Eggs soon after, which Eggs in about nine Days Time are hatched. TheCaterpillarsfeed for about six Weeks, then change toChrysalis, lie in that State for about fourteen Days, and then theFliesare bred. These lay their Eggs as the first Brood did, theCaterpillarschange toChrysalisinSeptember, and theFliescome forth in the followingMay.
TheVariety of theMothKinds is so great, that perhaps there is scarce a Day in the Year when some of them are not bred. The Time of their Continuance in theChrysalisState will be best known by attending to the Account of eachMothdescribed in the following Plates. SomeMothsas well asButterfliesbreed twice a Year.
Itfrequently happens, that theFlydoes not come out at the usual Time, but continues in theChrysalisState till that Time Twelvemonth; so that the Creature remains in that Case a Year and nine Months (and sometimes longer) in a State of Rest, without Nourishment of any kind.
Thusmuch in general:—We descend now to particular Observations.
AllButterfliesandMothslay a great Number of Eggs, some even as far as two or three Hundred. The Eggs of some Kinds are glutenous, or covered with a glewy Moisture; but those of others are not so: The glutenous are fixt (sometimes singly) onGrass,the Leaves of Trees,Shrubs, &c. and sometimes in Clusters after the same Manner. Some Sorts of Eggs are laid naked or uncovered, and others are cloath’d with a sort of Down,&c.SomeFlieslay them in a Spiral Line, or Screw-like Figure, round a small Twigg, a Stalk of Grass,&c.And these may be pulled off entire, in Fashion like a Cylindrical Tube, and as hard as Horn: Others deposit theirs in the Chinks of theBarks of Trees, &c. &c. &c.
Itis observeable, that the whole Process from the Egg, to theFly, of many Species, is perform’d in about sixty Days. But theGoat Mothis an Exception to this Rule, being reported to be three Years proceeding from the Egg to theFlyState.
TheEggs are of various Forms; some are round, some are oval, and many of theMoth-Kindflat, and perforated through the Middle; so that theEmbriosorCaterpillarslie curl’d up before they are hatch’d, as they frequently do afterwards when come to Maturity. They are found of all manner of Colours, and many of them are extremely beautiful if view’d with a Microscope; some being curiously rib’d and adorn’d withProtuberances, &c. like the nicest carved Work; others marbled and spotted with an amazing Variety of delightful colouring.
Caterpillarsare usually divided into the Naked and Cloathed Kinds. Among the Cloath’d some have only small Tufts of Hair or Down, others are cover’d all over with it.
TheCaterpillarsof all knownButterflieshave six Hooks or Claws before, eight Feet in the Middle of their Body, and two Holders behind. Those that produceMothshave all six Hooks or Claws before, and Holders behind. Some have eight Feet in the Middle, some four, and some only two next their Holders.
SomeSpecies ofCaterpillarsalways feed inclos’d or spun up in the Leaves they feed upon, others take their Food openly and in Sight.
Someare sociable and herd together whilst young, but when they change their third Skin they grow unsociable and feed separately.
Othersare born unsociable, and feed separately from their Infancy.
SomeSpecies spin a large Web that will contain an hundredCaterpillars, or more, from which they never go far till they have eat up all the Leaves that are near thereto: Then they spin a new Web, and so (shifting their Quarters) in a short Time, instead of the green Leaves that they have devoured, leave the Tree, or Bush, covered only with their white Webs.
SomeSorts, when disturbed, let themselves down by a Thread like a Spider, by which Means they avoid being devoured by other Insects that have not the Means of following them,&c.
TheirFood is almost general, but some Kinds will eat nothing except their own particular Trees, or Plants.
SomeSpecies feed upon Herbage, others live and feed upon the solid Parts of Trees, and Barks.
Somedwell in the Earth, or other private Recesses in the Day-time, and at Night come forth, and feed on Grass, Flowers,&c.Others again feed on the different Kinds of Mosses, Heath, Broom, the Leaves of Trees, Shrubs,&c.
Somefeed upon the Waters naked and exposed, and others make themselves Cases of Sticks, Rushes,&c.in the Waters, where they get their Food.
TheVariety and Beauty which present themselves to our Eyes in the Form and Colouring ofCaterpillars, are no less remarkable than theFliesthemselves, as the Reader will be satisfied by examining the following Plates.
WhenaCaterpillarhas fed its appointed Time, and is come to full Maturity, it undergoes a Change, and becomes a Body of a different Form, incrusted with a Shell, and usually called aChrysalisorAurelia; the Shell of which is formed underneath the Skin of theCaterpillar, which Skin comes off as soon as theAureliabecomes perfect.
Duringits Continuance in theChrysalisState, it seems to have no Sense but Feeling; and some of them have even that in a very low Degree, for they may be touched pretty roughly without moving.
TheChrysalidesorAureliæof theButterfly-Kindare all very beautiful; some of them look as if they were studded with Gold; some are striped, others spotted, and others mottled with all the various Colours of the Rainbow. But those of theMoth-Kindare not so; differing very little from one another, either in Shape or Colour, except the Magpye, and some few besides.
Nothingin Nature is perhaps more deserving Notice, than the many different Methods wherebyCaterpillarsconceal and secure themselves whilst in this helpless and unactive Condition.
Someof them spin a large Case of Silk in Form of an Egg, wherein theChrysalislies concealed, till the Time comes for theFlyto make its Appearance, which it does by piercing through this Case.
Ofsuch Cases there are several Sorts, different in Form and Colour:
Someare long, and drawn out to a Point at each End; others are more round.
TheTexture of some is very thick and close.
Othersare thin, like Gause, insomuch that theChrysalismay be seen thorough them.
SomeAureliæare white, some yellow, and others of different Hues; and most of the hairyCaterpillarsintermix their Hair amongst the Spinning.
SomeCaterpillarsform a hard-crusted Case, composed of silk Threads glewed together, in such Manner as to become hard like an Egg-shell, so that when theFlycomes out, a round Hole like a Door appears.
TheSilk-spinningCaterpillarsare of various Kinds, and deposit theirAureliæin different Places, and in different Manners,viz.some fasten them on the Leaves and Stalks of Plants, without any Covering; others spin the Leaves over them; others lodge them in Holes and Crevices; and others in the Earth.
Manyof theMoth-Kindplace theirChrysalisin the Earth, about an Inch or two deep, surrounding it with a Case of Earth lined with a glutenous Matter, that no Wet can penetrate: And what is very surprizing, notwithstanding the extreme Delicacy and Tenderness of theFlywhen first bred, be the Ground never so hard, it makes its way thorough it without ruffling a single Feather.
Few, if any, of theButterfly-Kindform a Case or Spinning, except what fastens the Tail and Body of theChrysalis. Some hang perpendicularly downwards, and others in an horizontal Position, being fastened by the Tail, with a Thread round the Back and on each Side. Some are secured within the Leaves spun together; others are hid in the Hollows and Barks of Trees; and others again under the Copings of Walls, in Houses, Sheds,&c.
AftertheChrysalishas remained its due Time, theFlybursts the Shell wherein it was contained, and comes out formed perfectly in every Part, except the Wings, which then appear too small to cover its Body. In this naked Condition it crawls up to some convenient Place, where its Wings may hang down without any Hindrance: And when thus disposed, the Wings begin to expand themselves so much, that in the Space of half an Hour, the Wings (ofButterflies) are stretched commonly to their full Size; nay, even those of the largestMothsseldom require above an Hour’s Time. At first they are flabby, like wet Paper, but soon afterwards they become stiff, and capable of supporting them in their Airy Flights,&c.
InthisFlyState their first Care seems to be the Propagation of their Species, for some of them will copulate immediately if they can find a Mate; to seek which the MaleButterflytakes Wing, as soon as his Wings are in a proper Condition: But fewMoths, whether bred in the Night Time or in the Day, ever offer to fly till the Night after their Birth, when they go in Search of the Females.
TheFemales (especially of theMothKinds) seldom, if ever, take Wing till they have been cocked: they often continue in Conjunction twelve Hours and more, after which the Female lays her Eggs, flies about for a Time, and then dies.—The Females of some Kinds are without Wings.
TheMales (of some Species) have a surprizing Quickness and Distinction in their Sense of Smelling, exceeding that of the Blood-Hound, or any other Creature yet known; for if a Female be concealed in a Box, and there are any Males within half a Mile or more, they will fly directly to the Place, and hover round it. By this Means a Dozen MaleEgger-Mothshave been taken in an Hour’s Time, and that at about Twelve o’Clock at Noon, as may be seen in the Account of theEgger-Moth.
TheirContinuance in theFlyState depends greatly on the Weather, manyFliesbeing destroyed as soon as bred, by Storms of Hail,&c.but if the Season proves favourable, many will live for a Fortnight, three Weeks, or longer, and some even all the Winter through.
MOTHSand BUTTERFLIES agree in their Progression from theEggto theFlyState, are different when in that State, in the following Particulars.
BUTTERFLIES have a Ball or Knob at the Extremity of each of theirAntennæ, orHorns.
TheHorns of MOTHS have not such Balls or Knobs, but are constantly threaded or pointed: except the Males of some Species, whose Horns are ramified, or in the Form of Combs.
AllBUTTERFLIES settle with their Wings erect, and generally keep them in that Posture, unless when basking in the Sun.
MostMOTHS do not settle with their Wings erect, but place them horizontally, or inclining to their Feet.
AllBUTTERFLIES come abroad by Day-Light, and chiefly when the Sun shines bright.
MOTHS fly, some by Day-Light, some by Twilight, and some in the Dead of Night.
N. B.Thereis a Species ofFlybetwixt theMothand theButterfly, whose Horns are more flat and hollow; this is describ’d in the second Book of this Work, by the Name of theBurnet.
TheFood of these Creatures in theFlyState, is very different from what it was when they wereCaterpillars:Butterfliesfeed on all Kinds of Flowers, and on several sorts of Fruits, and I have seen them extremely fond of the Juices that issue from the Bodies of several Sorts of Trees.
MOTHSfeed on the same Things, as also on the Honey-Dew that is found on the Leaves of Limes, Elms,&c.TheMoths, as well as theButterflies, are furnished with a long Proboscis, or Tongue, which lies curl’d up like a Watch-Spring, under the fore Part of the Head. The Length of this Proboscis varies according to the Species of theFly, and is from half an Inch, to four Inches long.
Naturehas been so abundant in the Production of these Creatures, that were it not for the many Dangers they are exposed to, through every Stage of their Lives, the whole World would be too small to contain their Offspring, in four or five Years; for, upon Calculation, the Progeny of one Pair of largeButterflies, (supposing them to lay only 100 Eggs, whereas many of them lay 2 or 300, and that twice a Year) would be sufficient to cover the whole Kingdom ofEnglandin about twelve Years.
Whilein the Egg, they are devoured in great Numbers by Birds and other Animals.
WhilstCaterpillars, they are a Prey to small Birds of all Kinds, being almost the only Food wherewith such Birds nourish and rear their young ones.
CATERPILLARSlikewise kill and devour one another; and, besides that, Numbers of them die in shifting their Skins, and in changing into theChrysalisState. But the greatest Enemy they have in this State, is theIchneumon Fly.
IntheAureliaState, such as have no Case are a Prey to Birds,&c.those in the Earth, to Moles, Mice, and other subterraneous Animals; and besides, great Numbers are destroyed by Frosts and Wet. In theFlyState they are a Prey to Birds, Batts, and many other Creatures.
Thereare four different Ways, in one or other of which all Animals of theMothorButterfly-Kindsubsist during the Winter Season,viz.
Itis likewise to be observed, that the several Species of them chuse different Places for their Residence
SeveralKinds ofCaterpillarscome forth of the Egg inJuly,August,September, andOctober,remain in theCaterpillarState all the Winter, feed up in the Spring, then change intotheChrysalisState, and produceFliesa few Weeks afterwards.Othersthere are that continue in the Egg State all the Winter, are hatched in theSpring, and feed up in about 45 Days: then change into theChrysalis, and produce theirFliesin about 14 Days afterwards.N. B.The Curious may be assured, that all these Observations are founded on real Facts,and not on any Supposition or Conjecture.Andnow, (as it seems exactly suitable to this Work) we shall beg Leave to close the Introductionwith a short Description of theButterfly, taken from a Poem called The UNIVERSE,which was written some Years agoBy Mr.Henry Baker.
SEE, to the Sun theButterflydisplaysIts glittering Wings, and wantons in his Rays:In Life exulting, o’er the Meadows flies,Sips from each Flow’r, and breathes the vernal Skies.Its splendid Plumes, in grateful Order, showThe various Glories of the painted Bow.Where Love directs, a Libertine it roves,And courts the fair ones thro’ the verdant Groves.How glorious now! How chang’d since Yesterday! }When on the Ground, a crawling Worm it lay, }Where ev’ry Foot might tread its Soul away! }Who rais’d it thence? And bid it range the Skies?Gave its rich Plumage, and its brilliant Dyes?’TwasGod:—ItsGodand thine, OMan, andHe}In this thy Fellow-Creature lets thee see, }The wond’rous Change which is ordain’d for thee. }Thou too shalt leave thy reptile Form behind, }And mount the Skies, a pure ethereal Mind, }There range among the Stars, all bright and unconfin’d. }
SEE, to the Sun theButterflydisplaysIts glittering Wings, and wantons in his Rays:In Life exulting, o’er the Meadows flies,Sips from each Flow’r, and breathes the vernal Skies.Its splendid Plumes, in grateful Order, showThe various Glories of the painted Bow.Where Love directs, a Libertine it roves,And courts the fair ones thro’ the verdant Groves.How glorious now! How chang’d since Yesterday! }When on the Ground, a crawling Worm it lay, }Where ev’ry Foot might tread its Soul away! }Who rais’d it thence? And bid it range the Skies?Gave its rich Plumage, and its brilliant Dyes?’TwasGod:—ItsGodand thine, OMan, andHe}In this thy Fellow-Creature lets thee see, }The wond’rous Change which is ordain’d for thee. }Thou too shalt leave thy reptile Form behind, }And mount the Skies, a pure ethereal Mind, }There range among the Stars, all bright and unconfin’d. }
SEE, to the Sun theButterflydisplaysIts glittering Wings, and wantons in his Rays:In Life exulting, o’er the Meadows flies,Sips from each Flow’r, and breathes the vernal Skies.Its splendid Plumes, in grateful Order, showThe various Glories of the painted Bow.Where Love directs, a Libertine it roves,And courts the fair ones thro’ the verdant Groves.How glorious now! How chang’d since Yesterday! }When on the Ground, a crawling Worm it lay, }Where ev’ry Foot might tread its Soul away! }Who rais’d it thence? And bid it range the Skies?Gave its rich Plumage, and its brilliant Dyes?’TwasGod:—ItsGodand thine, OMan, andHe}In this thy Fellow-Creature lets thee see, }The wond’rous Change which is ordain’d for thee. }Thou too shalt leave thy reptile Form behind, }And mount the Skies, a pure ethereal Mind, }There range among the Stars, all bright and unconfin’d. }
SEE, to the Sun theButterflydisplays
Its glittering Wings, and wantons in his Rays:
In Life exulting, o’er the Meadows flies,
Sips from each Flow’r, and breathes the vernal Skies.
Its splendid Plumes, in grateful Order, show
The various Glories of the painted Bow.
Where Love directs, a Libertine it roves,
And courts the fair ones thro’ the verdant Groves.
How glorious now! How chang’d since Yesterday! }
When on the Ground, a crawling Worm it lay, }
Where ev’ry Foot might tread its Soul away! }
Who rais’d it thence? And bid it range the Skies?
Gave its rich Plumage, and its brilliant Dyes?
’TwasGod:—ItsGodand thine, OMan, andHe}
In this thy Fellow-Creature lets thee see, }
The wond’rous Change which is ordain’d for thee. }
Thou too shalt leave thy reptile Form behind, }
And mount the Skies, a pure ethereal Mind, }
There range among the Stars, all bright and unconfin’d. }
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