] 76 INSECTS. 



may sometimes be formed from the figure of its chry- 

 salis, which frequently takes the rude outline of the 

 parts of the animal which is contained within it : 

 but the various colors, which it is seen to assume, 

 appear the effect of accident, for the same species 

 does not always assume the same hue. 



The chrysalis remains torpid for a longer or short- 

 er period, according to the species. It is often 

 tinged with a golden color, and from this circum- 

 stance was called chrysalis by the Greeks, and aurelia 

 by the Romans. 



During warm and dry summers, butterflies are 

 much more abroad than they would otherwise be ; 

 consequently a greater number of eggs are laid, and 

 caterpillars are abundant in proportion. Vegetation 

 is thus rapidly and extensively destroyed, whilst 

 some of the modes of prevention adopted by the 

 gardener are totally useless. Great pains are some- 

 times taken to surround the steams of plants with a 

 circle of lime, soot, or moss, as a sort of cordon 

 sanitaire, to keep off the advances of caterpillars ; 

 the first and second appHances may have the effect 

 of preventing their crawling along the ground, from 

 other plants to those so defended, but cannot in any 

 wise prevent the butterfly from laying its eggs on 

 the plant, the eggs from being hatched, or the cater- 

 pillars from devouring it. Throwing lime water over 

 trees and plants is almost equally useless, this is 

 generally so sprinkled as only to wet the upper sur- 

 face of the leaves, whilst the caterpillars' favorite 

 place is the lower surface. A heavy shower of rain 

 will soon wash away the effects of the lime water 

 ablution, and the caterpillar may then, as before, 

 revel at its own sweet will. 



The only effectual means of keeping the plants 

 uninjured, is to examine them often, and pick off 

 such caterpillars as may be discovered. This process 

 will occupy little more time than would be required 

 for administering the supposed remedies of lime, 

 soot, or moss. 



J. 



