or fix times; and then from the Nympha, or Caterpillar State, turns to an Aurelia, or Chryfalis, from which laft State, they come out Papilios, or Butterflies. [The Author, by the by, makes the Nympha, and Aurelia State to be one and the fame thing; but Dr. Derham, and The J--ft's others, make the Nympha State that of their Obferv. firft State after they are hatched, viz. the Vermicular, or Caterpillar.] THE Chevalier being highly entertained with this general Account of Infects, would fain have perfuaded the Count to have gone on with his Narrative; but notwithstanding the young Gentleman's eager Defire, it is put off to another Day. In the next Conversation the Chevalier's first Queftion is, Whether the In-Conv. II. fect really dies at its putting on the Aurelia State, and before it comes out a Butterfly. Here the Count, without hesitation, decides that the Infect TRULY DIES at its putting on the Au- p. 36. relia, and endeavours to prove it by all poffible Arguments. But, in the fame Breath, the Count, (remembring how contrary the Generation of the next State, viz. the Butterfly, is to the Principles he had laid down in his first Converfation, that anomalous Generation is in itself against Experience and impoffible, which however muft prove falfe, if the Infect truly dies at its putting on the Aurelia;) the Count, I fay, owns there remains in the Aurelia a Fatus, filled with a Liquor that contributes, by little and little, to bring it to perfection; and notwithstanding this Conceffion, the Count affures that the first Animal truly dies, to give place to the next fucceeding one. AFTER this general Description of Infects, and their various Changes, the Chevalier inquires into the Matter out of which they spin their Silk. The Countess now joins the Company, who P. 39. Their Food. who were in an Arbour in the Garden, and the Count purfues his Difcourfe, and acquaints the 300 Sorts Chevalier, that there are above 300 Kinds of of Caterpillars. Caterpillars, which, like the Silk-worm, have a certain Number of Feet, by nieans of which they walk, and cling faft to Twigs during their Sleep. Almost all thefe emit Threads, which they fpin from a liquid Gum in their Bodies. By these they let themselves down in cafe of Danger from Birds, or fome other Caufes; gluing first one End to the Bough they fall from. Some have long Hairs that fecure them against any hurt from a Fall. Some again are of a Colour that deceives the Spectator's Eye; the Caterpillar that feeds upon Buckthorn, being of the Colour of the Buckthorn, &c. left the Birds, which are fond of fuch Meats, fhould eat them. As to their Food, every Kind of Caterpillar has its proper Aliment adapted to it; which, if it were not, would be a very great Annoyance to Mankind. The Ghevalier confidering the wafte occafioned by them, asks what need there is of them? they might, he thinks, be well enough Their De-fpared. But the Prior and the Count both anfination. fwer this Objection, and fhew they are appointed mostly for the Nurture of Birds for, fays the Count, Birds are not hatched, till Infects are. Before April there are no Caterpillars, nor Brood of Birds; after July neither of these are to be found. [The Author mistakes here again, I The J--ft's humbly prefume; fome Kinds of Caterpillars continuing till the End of September, and the Middle of October, fome being now actually upon my Table.] Infects [and other noxious Animals] on the other hand, may be a Scourge in the hands of the Almighty, to punish Man for his Crimes; and a Means to instruct him: Towards P.45. Obferv. Towards the Clofe of the Summer Seafon, the Caterpillars being fatiated with eating, prepare for the Aurelia State, in different manners de- p. 50. scribed here. At the fight of an Aurelia, the Chevalier asks whether there be any Life in it? The Count fhews him that upon preffing it gently, between one's Fingers, one perceives it to move; [which plainly contradicts what he had afferted p. 36, where he contends for an actual The J--ft's Obferv. Death] and when they come out Butterflies from their Aurelias, they lay their Eggs upon the very Plants, or fome of much the fame nature, that nourished them in their Nympha State. P. 53. P. 53 BUT, fays the Count, the ftrongest Kind of Caterpillar is that which has a double Change, coming out fometimes Flies, and fometimes Papilios; [but this Phanomena however ftrange The J-Kt's it feems to the Count, is cleared up by the fagaObf. cious Dr. Derham, in his Phyfico-Theol. Lib. VIII. C. 6. Note n. Inftances of which I likewife have feen myself.] The Lady then fhews the Chevalier in a Cheft of small Drawers, several Kinds of Papilios, under which he has defigned the Caterpillar or Worm each Genus comes from, and its Chryfalis; which affords great Pleasure. : HERE the fecond Converfation ends: In the Con. III. next, the Count being abfent about fome Bufi- p. 65. nefs, the Lady takes upon her to initiate the young Candidate farther into the Myfteries of Nature and for that purpose begins with a Defcription of the Silk-worm, this being more properly her Province, having nurfed a great many ever fince fhe was a Child. The Lady fays there are two Ways of bringing them up; the ift, to let them range at pleasure on a Mulberry berry-Tree, and the other to nurse them in a. p.66. House, providing fresh Leaves for them every day. The Prior, it feems, has tried the first Manner, which, fays he, is in ufe in China, Tunquin, and other hot Countries, and has fucceeded very well. The Eggs are fo well laid in The Silk- fome place about the Mulberry-Tree, that worm. Obf. p. 68. they will abide even the hardest Froft. This Manner of bringing them up, fays the Prior, is the safeft for their Health, and gives one the least trouble, but is not to be practised in our Climate upon account of feveral unavoidable Inconveniencies which deftroy them; [notwithThe J--, ftanding which, the Prior it seems had had goodSuc cefs that way, tho' in this cold Climate] and, all things confidered, he concludes the best Way is to house them, and follow the Lady's Example; who now teaches them how they must be ordered. The Prior afterwards gives an exact P. 72. Account of the Anatomy of a Silk-worm; in doing of which, he obferves it has under its Mouth two Holes, thro' which it fpins two Threads at a time, which, with the help of two of its fore Feet, it unites into one. The Lady, in order to fhew into what Form the Silk-worm difpofes of its Silk, offers the young GentleP.77 man three or four Bags, or Cones. Upon his wondering to hear the Silk-worms are inclosed there, the Lady gives him all the Satisfaction fhe can, diffects them, and cutting open the Cone, the Worm changed into a Chryfalis drops into his hand. This done, the Lady's Pupil is inftructed how all this comes about, and how they spin: and then how they make their way out of the Cone, in the Shape of a Butterfly. He is farther inftructed, how the Silk is fpun off the Cone, and the Prior informs him the Thread of of one Cone had measur'd nine hundred and twenty-four, and of another, nine hundred and thirty Feet, which weighed no more than two Grains and a half. PRESENTLY after this the Company breaks up, and as they firft refolve that the Subject Matter of Difcourfe in the next meeting fhall ftill be about Spinning and Weaving, it is agreed, that the young Chevalier fhall, against then, go and vifit fome Weaver's Loom. THE next Converfation opens with the Chevalier's fhort Account of what he had feen, and the pleasure it had given him; and the Prior fhews how neceffary it would be for all Gentlemen to be acquainted, in fome measure, with all Handycrafts, and Arts; nay, and know themselves how to work at them. p.89. Conv. III. p. 89. AFTER this the Spider comes under the P.96. Prior's Confideration, whereof he reckons five The Spider. forts. [Mr. 7. Ray reckon'd thirty forts. Vid. Phil. Tranf. Vol. III.] All Spiders are form'd The J--ft's Obferv. alike, fome having eight beautiful Eyes, others fix. [Power, quoted by Dr. Derham, fays, The J-ft's that fome have four, others fix, and others obf. eight.] Their Eyes are immoveable. In the forepart of their Head they are armed with two Stings, or rather ftrong Forcipes, terminated with a hook'd Nail, refembling a Cat's, and this, at their will, clafps or opens in the manner of a Clafp-knife. Under this Nail is a small Aperture, thro' which they emit a very quick Poifon. The Prior goes on in his curious Defcription, wherein he fays, that when the Spiders walk upon any thing that is fmooth, as for p. 98. inftance, Glafs, &c. they press a kind of Spunge, which is in the Extremity of their Feet, No XX. 1732. |