LADY-BIRD TRANSFORMATIONS. 



latter, fresh arrived from the hop-grounds where each in its 

 larva state had slain its thousands of victims. Of the long, 

 flat, wingless bodies of these children of the Lady-bird, so 

 dissimilar to that of their parent when arrived at her rotund 

 maturity, and so seldom identified with the adult insect, our 

 figure will convey a better notion than detailed description, 

 and a glance at the living larva, or grubs themselves, the best 

 of all. Few are the rose trees, hop-vines, or nettles, whereon 

 they may not be found in abundance in the month of May. 



The second shape which the Lady-bird puts on is that of the 

 pupa, correspondent to the aurella or chrysalis of a Butterfly. 

 To know what is the form then assumed, our readers would do 

 best to seek it on the above-named plants, where after a pre- 

 vious glance at our figure they will be at no loss to discover 

 the original. As for the history of our Lady-bird's life, in 

 this its second epoch, a few words suffice, because it is that in 

 which there is very little life about it. Having, in a few 

 weeks, gorged as a grub her fill of Aplinles, she fixes herself 

 by a sort of natural glue, either to a stalk or to the under 

 surface of the leaf which lias served the purpose of pasturing 

 her devoured flock. Thus secured from falling, she puts off 

 the pupa skin with the limbs which were requisite to obtain 

 her prey ; and then, in a form of outward inactivity, bides the 

 time until by inward working and expansion she has arrived 

 at the perfection of her nature. Casting off her slough, she 

 now emerges in all the polished rotundity and painted finish of 



