THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



the process of suspension completed. Soon after this the chrysalis begins 

 a series of wriggling and jerking movements to dislodge the empty larva 

 skin, after the removal of which it remains motionless, unless disturbed, 

 and becomes gradually harder and more contracted until it assumes the 

 appearance represented by fig. 4. 



The chrysalis is about an inch long, and of a 

 beautiful bright green colour dotted with gold, and with 

 a band of golden dots extending more than half way 

 round the body above the middle ; this band is shaded 

 with black. There is a patch of black also arouud the 

 base of the black protuberance by which it is suspended, 

 and several dots of the same' on other portions of the 

 surface. 



The insect seldom remains in chrysalis more than 

 ten or twelve days, and towards the latter end of this period, the hand- 

 some green and gold colours begin to fade, the chrysalis growing gradually 

 darker until the diminutive wings of the future butterfly show plainly 

 through the semi-transparent enclosure. The escape of the imprisoned 

 insect, now nearly ready for flight, is usually made quite early in the 

 morning. We have several times watched for their deliverance, and have 

 usually found it to take place soon after daybreak. A sudden crackling 

 and slight tearing sound is heard, which arises from a splitting of the 

 chrysalis case part way down the back, the fore legs, head and antennae 

 are first withdrawn, and in a few moments the entire insect is liberated. 

 At first the wings are very small, and the hew born butterfly seeks at once 

 some suitable spot where the wings may be held so as to hang down and 

 thus facilitate the rapid growth which follows. This growth is truly 

 amazing ; we have seen the wings double their size within three minutes, 

 and seldom more than fifteen or twenty minutes pass before they have 

 attained their full dimensions, and, ere the sun is high in the heavens, the 

 soft, flabby wings have dried and the butterfly is ready for flight. 



The archippus butterfly, fig. 5, is so" well known that it needs but little 

 description, especially when so good a figure is given. The ground colour 

 of the wings, when fresh, is a beautifully bright orange red, the veins are 

 heavy and black, and the margins are spotted with white, the latter bein 

 more or less covered or encroached upon by the general colour. Near the 

 middle of the hind wings there appears in the figure on one of the veins 



or 



