In his History of Serpents.

the leaves of trees; and that some kinds of them are from a dew left upon herbs or flowers; and others from a dew left upon coleworts or cabbages: all which kinds of dews being thickened and condensed, are by the Sun's generative heat most of them hatched, and in three days made living creatures; and these of several shapes and colours; some being hard and tough, some smooth and soft; some are horned in their head, some in their tail, some have none : some have hair, some none: some have sixteen feet, some less, and some have none; but, as our Topsel hath, with great diligence, observed, those which have none, move upon the earth, or upon broad leaves, their motion being not unlike to the waves of the sea. Some of them he also observes to be bred of the eggs of other caterpillars, and that those in their time, turn to be butterflies and again, that their eggs turn the following year to be caterpillars. And some affirm, that every plant has his particular fly or caterpillar, which it breeds and feeds. I have seen, and may therefore affirm it, a green caterpillar, or worm, as big as a small peascod, which had fourteen legs, eight on the belly, four under the neck, and two near the tail. It was found on a hedge of privet, and was taken thence, and put into a large box, and a little branch or two of privet put to it, on which I saw it feed as sharply as a dog gnaws a bone: it lived thus five or six days, and thrived, and changed

:

:

the colour two or three times, but by some neglect in the keeper of it, it then died and did not turn to a fly but if it had lived, it had doubtless turned to one of those flies that some call flies of prey, which those that walk by the rivers, may in Summer see fasten on smaller flies, and I think make them their food. And 'tis observable, that as there be these flies of prey which be very large, so there be others very little, created, I think, only to feed them, and breed out of I know not what; whose life, they say, Nature intended not to exceed an hour, and yet that life is thus made shorter by other flies, or accident.

'Tis endless to tell you what the curious searchers into Nature's productions have observed of these worms and flies: but yet I shall tell you what Aldrovandus, our Topsel, and others say of the Palmerworm or Caterpillar; that whereas others content themselves to feed on particular herbs or leaves,— for most think those very leaves that gave them life and shape, give them a particular feeding and nourishment, and that upon them they usually abide ;-yet he observes, that this is called a Pilgrim or Palmer-worm, for his very wandering life and various food; not contenting himself, as others do, with any one certain place for his abode, nor any certain kind of herbs or flowers for his feeding; but will boldly and disorderly wander up and down, and not endure to be kept to a diet, or fixed to a particular place.

Nay, the very colours of caterpillars are, as one has observed, very elegant and beautiful; I shall, for a taste of the rest, describe one of them, which I will sometime the next month shew you feeding on a Willow-tree, and you shall find him punctually to answer this very description; his lips and mouth somewhat yellow, his eyes black as jet, his forehead purple, his feet and hinder parts green, his tail two forked and black, the whole body stained with a kind of red spots which run along the neck and shoulder-blade, not unlike the form of Saint Andrew's cross, or the letter X, made thus cross-wise, and a white line drawn down his back to his tail; all which add much beauty to his whole body. And it is to me observable, that at a fixed age this caterpillar gives over to eat, and towards Winter comes to be covered over with a strange shell or crust, called an Aurelia, and so lives a kind of dead life, without eating all the Winter; and, as others of several kinds turn to be several kinds of flies and vermin the Spring following, so this caterpillar then turns to be a painted butterfly.

View Sir Fra.

Bacon Exper. 728 and 29,

in his Natural History.

Come, come my Scholar, you see the river stops our morning walk, and I will also here stop my discourse, only as we sit down under this honeysuckle hedge, whilst I look a line to fit the rod that our brother Peter hath lent you, I shall, for a little confirmation of what I have said, repeat the observation of Du Bartas.

God, not contented to each kind to give,
And to infuse the virtue generative,

6. Day of

Du Bartas.

By his wise power made many creatures breed
Of lifeless bodies without Venus' deed.

So the cold humour, breeds the Salamander,
Who, in effect, like to her birth's commander,
With child with hundred winters, with her touch,
Quencheth the fire though glowing ne'er so much.

So in the fire in burning furnace springs
The Fly Perausta with the flaming wings;
Without the fire it dies, in it it joys,

Living in that which all things else destroys.

So, slow Boötes underneath him sees

View Gerh.
Herbal and

In th' icy islands goslings hatch'd of trees, Camden.
Whose fruitful leaves falling into the water,
Are turn'd, 'tis known, to living fowls soon after.

So rotten planks of broken ships do change
To Barnacles. O transformation strange!
'Twas first a green tree, then a broken hull,
Lately a mushroom, now a flying Gull.

VEN. O my good Master, this morning-walk has been spent to my great pleasure and wonder: but I pray, when shall I have your direction how to make Artificial Flies, like to those that the Trout loves best? and also how to use them?

Pisc. My honest Scholar, it is now past five of the clock, we will fish till nine, and then go to breakfast? go you to yonder sycamore-tree, and hide your bottle of drink under the hollow root of it for about that time, and in that place, we will make a brave breakfast with a piece of powdered beef, and a radish or two that I have in my fishbag; we shall, I warrant you, make a good, honest, wholesome, hungry breakfast, and I will then give you direction for the making and using of your flies and in the mean time there is your rod and line, and my advice is, that you fish as you see me do, and let's try which can catch the first fish.

VEN. I thank you, Master, I will observe and practise your directions, as far as I am able.

Pisc. Look you, Scholar, you see I have hold of a good fish: I now see it is a Trout, I pray put that net under him, and touch not my line, for if you do, then we break all. Well done Scholar, I thank you.

Now for another. Trust me I have another bite : come Scholar, come lay down your rod, and help me to land this as you did the other. So, now we shall be sure to have a good dish of fish to supper.

VEN. I am glad of that; but I have no fortune : sure, Master, your's is a better rod, and better tackling.

Pisc. Nay, then take mine, and I will fish with your's. Look you, Scholar, I have another; come, do as you did before. And now I have a bite at