FOOTNOTES:
[a] It would be endless to enter into Particulars here, because all the Papilionaceous, Flesh, and Ichneumon-Fly Tribes, and all others that undergo the Nympha and Aurelia-State, between that of the Egg and Mature-State, (which are very numerous) appertain to this Note. For a Sample therefore only, I shall take what some may think a mean one, but if considered, deserves our Admiration, and that is the Sagacity of the White Butter-fly Caterpiller, which having fed it self its due Time, then retires to Places of Security. I have seen great Trains of them creeping up the Walls and Posts of the next Houses, where, with the help of some Cobweb-like Filaments, they hang themselves to the Cielings, and other commodious Places, and then become Aureliæ; in which State and Places they hang secure from Wet and Cold, till the Spring and warmer Months, when they are transmuted into Butter-Flies.
[] I shall not name any of the particular Species of Insects which live in this State, because they are very numerous, but only remark two Things observable in their Sagacity in this Matter: 1. That they are not driven by Stress of Weather to their Retirement, but seem as naturally to betake themselves thereto, as other Animals do to Rest and Sleep. For before the Approach of cold Weather, towards the End of Summer, we may see some Kinds of them flocking together in great Numbers within Doors (as Swallows do a little before they leave us) as if they were making ready for their Winter’s Rest. 2. That every Species betakes it self to a proper convenient Receptacle; some under the Waters to the Bottoms of Ponds; some under the Earth, below the Frosts; some under Timber, Stone, &c. lying on the Ground; some into hollow Trees, or under the Bark, or in the Wood; some into warm and dry Places; and some into dry alone.
[c] There are not many Kinds that thus provide their Food before-hand. The most remarkable, are the Ant and the Bee; concerning the first of which, Origen hath this Remark, viz. De solertiâ Formicarum, venturæ hyemi maturè prospiciontium, sibique invicem sub onere sessis succurrentium; quódque fruges arrosas condunt, ne rursus enascantur, sed per annum alimento sint, non ratiocinationem Formicarum in causâ debemus credere, sed almam matrem Naturam bruta quoque sic ornantem, ut etiam minimis addat sua quædam ingenia. Orig. cont. Cels. L. 4.
But as for Wasps, Hornets, Humble Bees, and other Wild-Bees, Vespæ Ichneumons, and divers others that carry in Materials for Nests and Food; this is only for the Service of their Generation, for hatching their Eggs, and nourishing their Young, not for Supplies in Winter; for they all forsake their Nests towards Winter, and retire to other Quarters, living (I conceive) without Food all that Time.
[d] Hos vermiculos [Formicarum Ova vulgò vocatos] incredibili Στοργὴ & curâ Formicæ educant, summamque dant operam, ne vel tantillum, quod spectet eorum vermiculorum educationem atque nutritionem, omittant; quem in finem fere semper eosdem ore circumportant secum, ne ulla eos lædet injuria. In museo meo nonnullas istius generis formicas, vitro terrâ repleto, conclusas cum Vermiculis istis adservabam; ibi non sine jucunditate spectabam, quo terra fieret in superficie siccior, eo profundiùs Formicas cum fœtibus suis prorepere: cùm verò aquam adfunderem, visu mirificum erat, quanto affectu, quanta solicitudine, quanta Στοργὴ omnem in eo collacarent operam, ut fœtus suos sicciore & tuto loco reponerent. Sæpiùs vidi, cùm aliquot diebus aquâ caruissent, atque cùm affuso tantillo aquæ terram illam humectarem, è vestigio à Formicis fœtus suos eo loci fuisse allatos, quos ibi distinctè conspiciebam moveri atque fugere humorem. Multoties fui conatus, ut eos Vermiculos ipse educarem, at semper conatum fefellit eventus: neque ipsas Formicarum Nymphas alimenti jam non indigas unquam sine ipsis Formicis potui fotu artificiali excludere. J. Swammerd. Epilog. ad Hist. Insect. p. 153.
Sir Edward King, who was very curious in examining the Generation of Ants, observes their great Care and Diligence, 1. About their Sperm, or true Eggs, which is a fine white Substance, like Sugar, which they diligently gather together into a Heap, when scattered; and on which they lie in Multitudes. (I suppose, by way of Incubation.) 2. I have observed, saith he, in Summer, that in the Morning they bring up those of their Young (call’d Ant-Eggs) towards the Top of the Bank: So that you may from 10 in the Morning, until 5 or 6 Afternoon, find them near the Top——for the most Part on the South-side the Bank. But towards 7 or 8 at Night, if it be cool, or likely to rain, you may dig a Foot deep before you can find them. Philos. Trans. Nᵒ. 23. or Lowthorp’s Abridg. V. 2. p. 7. and 9.
CHAP. VI.
Of the Care of Insects about their Young.
The other notable Instinct I am to treat of, is the peculiar Art and Care of the Insect-Tribe, about the Preservation of their Species. Here I might speak of many Things, but I have occasionally mentioned divers of them before, under some or other of the general Heads, and therefore shall fix only upon two Things relating to their special Art and Care about the Production[a] of their Young, which have not been so particularly spoken to as they deserve.
One Thing is their singular Providence for their Young, in making or finding out such proper Receptacles and Places for their Eggs and Seed, as that they may receive the Advantage of a sufficient Incubation, and that the Young, when produced, may have the Benefit of proper and sufficient Food for their Nurture and Education, till they are able to shift for themselves. It is admirable to see with what Diligence and Care the several Species of Insects lay up their Eggs or Sperm in their several proper Places; not all in the Waters, in Wood, or on Vegetables; but those whose Subsistence is in the Waters[], in the Water; those to whom Flesh is a proper Food; in Flesh[c]; those to whom the Fruits[d] or Leaves of Vegetables are Food, are accordingly reposited, some in this Fruit, some on this Tree[e], some on that Plant[f], some on another, and another; but constantly the same Family on the same Tree or Plant, the most agreeable to that Family. And as for others that require a constant and greater Degree of Warmth, they are accordingly provided by the Parent-Animal with some Place in or about the Body of other Animals; some in the Feathers of Birds[g]; some in the Hair of Beasts[h]; some in the very Scales of Fishes[]; some in the Nose[k]; some in the Flesh[l]; yea, some in the very Bowels[m]; and inmost Recesses of the Bodies of Man and other Creatures[n]: And as for others to whom none of these Methods are proper, but make themselves Nests by Perforations in the Earth, in Wood, or Combs they build, or such like Ways; ’tis admirable to see with what Labour and Care they carry in, and seal up Provisions, that serve both for the Production of their Young, as also for their Food and Nurture when produc’d[o].
The other Piece of remarkable Art and Care about the Production of their Young, is their Curiosity and Neatness in repositing their Eggs, and in their Nidification.
As to the first of which, we may observe that great Curiosity, and nice Order is generally observ’d by them in this Matter. You shall always see their Eggs laid carefully and commodiously up[p]. When upon the Leaves of Vegetables, or other Material on Land, always glu’d thereon with Care, with one certain End lowermost, and with handsom juxta-Positions[q]. Or if in the Waters, in neat and beautiful Rows oftentimes, in that spermatick, gelatine Matter, in which they are reposited, and that Matter carefully ty’d and fastned in the Waters, to prevent its Dissipation[r], or if made to float, so carefully spread and poised, as to swim about with all possible Artifice.
And as to their other Faculty, that of Nidification, whether it be exerted by boring the Earth or Wood, or building themselves Cells[], or spinning and weaving themselves Cases and Webs, it is all a wonderful Faculty of those poor little Animals, whether we consider their Parts wherewith they work, or their Work it self. Thus those who perforate the Earth, Wood, or such like, they have their Legs, Feet, Mouth, yea, and whole Body accommodated to that Service; their Mouth exactly formed to gnaw those handsome round Holes, their Feet as well made to scratch and bore[t], and their Body handsomely turned and fitted to follow. But for such as build or spin themselves Nests, their Art justly bids Defiance to the most ingenious Artist among Men, so much as tolerably to copy the nice Geometrical Combs of some[], the Earthen Cells of others, or the Webs, Nets and Cases[w] woven by others. And here that natural Glue[x] which their Bodies afford some of them to consolidate their Work, and combine its Materials together, and which in others can be darted out at Pleasure, and spun and woven by them into silken Balls[y] or Webs. I say, this so peculiar, so serviceable a Material, together with the curious Structure of all Parts ministring to this textrine Power, as mean a Business as it may seem, is such as may justly be accounted among the noble Designs and Works of the infinite Creator and Conservator of the World.
In the last Place, there is another prodigious Faculty, Art, Cunning, or what shall I call it? that others of those little Animals have, to make even Nature it self serviceable to their Purpose; and that is the making the Vegetation and Growth of Trees and Plants, the very Means of the building of their little Nests and Cells[z]; such, as are the Galls and Balls found on the Leaves and Branches of divers Vegetables, such as the Oak, the Willow[aa], the Briar, and some others.
Now this is so peculiar an Artifice, and so far out of the Reach of any mortal Understanding, Wit, or Power, that if we consider the Matter, with some of its Circumstances, we must needs perceive manifest Design, and that there is the Concurrence of some great and wise Being, that hath, from the Beginning, taken Care of, and provided for the Animal’s Good: For which Reason, as mean as the Instance may seem, I might be excused, if I should enlarge upon its Particulars. But two or three Hints shall suffice.
In the first Place, ’tis certain that the Formation of those Cases and Balls quite exceeds the Cunning of the Animal it self; but it is the Act partly of the Vegetable, and partly of some Virulency (or what shall I call it?) in the Juyce, or Egg, or both, reposited on the Vegetable by the Parent Animal[bb]. And as this Virulency is various, according to the Difference of its Animal, so is the Form and Texture of the Cases and Balls excited thereby; some being hard Shells[cc], some tender Balls[dd], some scaly[ee], some smooth[ff], some Hairy[gg], some Long, some Round, some Conical, &c.[hh]. And in the last Place, let us add, That those Species of Insects are all endowed with peculiar and exactly made Parts for this Service, to bore and pierce the Vegetable, and to reach and inject their Eggs and Juice into the tender Parts thereof.