40 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



PERFECT PUPA. 



which is known as the pupal or chrysalid 

 stage. 



When he at last finds this spot, which 

 is generally the uniderside of one of the 

 broad leaves, he hangs himself up by his 

 tail, fastening himself to the underside 

 of the leaf by means of a sticky, silky 

 substance which he spins out. Hanging 

 thus, with his body curved into the form 

 of a hook, he remains without motion for 

 about twenty-four hours. During this 

 time, although we cannot see it, a won- 

 derful change is taking place inside of his 

 body, the results of which we shall soon 

 see. 



At the end of twenty-four hours his body 

 straightens out and he begins to twitch 

 and wriggle as if he were in great pain. 

 Possibly he is. Who can tell? At all 

 events his head and upper part of his 

 body (or rather lower part, as he is hang- 

 ing head down) soon commence to swell 

 and continue to do so until they burst 

 the skin and the pupa or chrysalid begins 

 to come out. By continued wriggling the 

 skin is slowly pushed backward until it 

 is gathered in a little bunich at the tail. 

 Now, while a part of the skin still holds 

 to the chrysalid, the extreme point, end- 

 ing in a small black hook, is withdrawn, 

 the hook is worked firmlv into the silky 

 substance which has held the caterpillar 

 to the leaf, and, with a final jerk, the 

 skin that was so very necessary to the 

 caterpillar is now of no more use, and is 

 enitirely thrown ofif, the chrysalid hanging 

 free from all coverin^^. 



During the next two or three hours 

 the shape of the chrysalid slowly changes 

 until at last it hangs a perfect little jewel. 

 It is about an inch in length and of a 

 bright green color ornamented with a 

 circle of golden spots near the top. Per- 

 haps some of you have spied one of these 

 little milk week jewels in your country 

 rambles, but, common as they are, they 

 are not often seen because they are so 

 well hidden by the broad leaf underneath 

 which they hang. 



Now, for from ten to twelve days we 

 can leave our little visitor entirely alone, 

 for, while a wonderful change is still 

 g-oing on inside the green shell, we can 

 see nothing of it. We shall have ample 

 warning when the next change that we 

 can watch is about to take place, for 

 about ten hours before the butterfly is to 

 make its appearance, the color of the 

 chrysalid will slowly change from green 

 to brown and, at the end, we can see 

 within the transparent shell the folded 

 wings of the butterfly. 



We must now watch closely or else we 

 shall miss the actual sight of him as he 

 comes out of the chrysalid shell. Sud- 

 denly, with no warning, this shell bursts 

 open and the butterfly pulls himself out 

 by the aid of his forelegs and hangs 



BUTTERFLY SOON AFTER EMERGING FROM 

 PUPA SHELL. 



