THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. c; I 



a lifeless, oblong body with no distinct head or limbs. 

 These chrysalids have a hard, polished outside, and are 

 often very rich in color. Some are green or yellow, others 

 rich brown. Some caterpillars of the moth spin thdnselves 

 up in a web which they fasten to a twig or the under 

 side of a leaf, and within this web form a cocoon. Others 

 go into the ground, and there pass through the transfor- 

 mation." 



" Could n't we catch the caterpillars, and watch the 

 change ? " asked Gilbert. 



"You can at least try," replied the teacher. "I have 

 made many experiments in that way, and some have 

 proved successful. Once, about midsummer, I captured 

 some hairy, brown caterpillars and placed them on my 

 writing-table under glasses. Two of them died, but the 

 third made himself very much at home, and went to work 

 at once to prepare his little shroud. He nestled down on 

 the board upon which the glass stood, and threw up a 

 thin web which completely covered him. It was at first 

 so very thin as to be almost invisible, but the caterpillar 

 thickened it by degrees until at last he was visible only 

 as a tiny dark spot in the centre. 



"As a general thing my experiments have proved most 

 successful when the caterpillars have been placed in a dark 

 box. I remember once bringing in a box full of caterpil- 

 lars of various kinds, and forgetting all about them for 



