1615. In their larvï¾µ state all insects feed voraciously, and are, consequently, at this period of their lives, the most destructive to vegetables: yet they do not attack all plants indiscriminately; many, indeed, confine themselves to one particular species, without which they die; others will eat the leaves of two or three plants only; while some few are general feeders. Hence it is that the larvï¾µ; of insects found in flower-gardens are generally different from those of the fields, and even from such as infest kitchen-gardens; whilst orchards, again, are subject to a different race. The smaller species are generally the most injurious, as they make use of many curious devices to escape observation: some penetrate the heart of the young shoot, or eat their way into the bud; many conceal themselves with great skill, by rolling up the leaves in which they have taken up their residence, and securing the terminal openings by a slender web; others, again, spin themselves a silken case, attaching to the outside small particles of dead leaves or other substances, and thus live in security. These are more particularly the habits of lepidopterous insects, all of which may be known by having two descriptions of feet; those towards the head being horny and jointed, while the rest are thick and soft, and are called false feet.
