6 



THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



stripe down its centre, white the yellow occupies the spaces between. On 

 the third segment (reckoning the head as first) are two long black fleshy 

 horns, and on the twelfth two others of a similar character, but shorter 

 and not quite so stout. 



The under side is black with a greenish flesh color between most of 

 the segments. 



The next change which comes over this caterpillar is that which trans- 

 forms it to a pupa or chrysalis, a most astonishing transformation, when 

 the voracious larva becomes for a time torpid, senseless, and almost 

 motionless while preparing for that change when it is to appear in brilliant 

 plumage, and gracefully float and flutter through the air, enjoying the 

 summer's sunshine and sipping the nectar of flowers. Fig. 3 shows the 



larva as it appears at 

 different periods during 

 its transition to the 

 state of chrysalis. Ata 

 it hangs suspended from 

 a silken web, in which 



Fk 



 • 



its hind lens are en- 



tangled and which has 

 been previously attached 

 by the caterpillar to the 

 underside of a leaf, or fence rail or some other secure place of retreat, and 

 here while hanging for about a day the larva contracts its length, and 

 increases its bulk, especially on the anterior segments. By and by a rent 

 takes place in the skin down the back, and the chrysalis begins to appear, 

 and after long and persevering efforts and much wriggling the skin is 

 worked nearly up to the hinder extremity, as shown at b. Now a difficulty 

 presents itself, and a feat is to be performed to imitate which would 

 puzzle the most daring acrobat, for without hands or feet to hold on by it 

 has to withdraw itself from the remnants of its larva skin, and hang itself 

 up by a black protuberance covered with a bunch of hooks, with which 

 the chrysalis is furnished. Perilous as this undertaking seems to be, it is 

 very seldom indeed that a failure occurs in its accomplishment. A ready 

 explanation of the means by which this is done is given at r, fig. 3. The 

 joints of the abdomen being freely movable, are first stretched against a 

 portion of the larva skin, when, by- a sudden jerk backwards, the skin is 

 grasped and firmly held while the terminal segments are withdrawn, and 



