like 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. 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, By his wise power made many creatures breed So the cold humor breeds the salamander, Who, in effect, like to her birth's commander, So in the fire in burning furnace springs So slow Bootes underneath him sees In th' icy islands goslings hatch'd of trees, Whose fruitful leaves falling into the water, *The sixth day. View Gerh. Herbal and Cambden.- Walton's own Note. |