Others are born unsociable, and feed separately from their Infancy.
Some Species spin a large Web that will contain an hundred Caterpillars, 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.
Some Sorts, 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.
Of the Food of Caterpillars, and their Manner of Feeding.
Their Food is almost general, but some Kinds will eat nothing except their own particular Trees, or Plants.
Some Species feed upon Herbage, others live and feed upon the solid Parts of Trees, and Barks.
Some dwell 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.
Some feed upon the Waters naked and exposed, and others make themselves Cases of Sticks, Rushes, &c. in the Waters, where they get their Food.
Of the Forms of Caterpillars.
The Variety and Beauty which present themselves to our Eyes in the Form and Colouring of Caterpillars, are no less remarkable than the Flies themselves, as the Reader will be satisfied by examining the following Plates.