276 



INSECT TRANSFORMATIONS. 



sloughed skin altogether. This operation causes, says 

 Bonnet, a spectator to tremble for the consequences, 

 for every movement seems to render its fall almost 

 certain. It is, however, provided with means which 

 answer the same purpose as hands, to enable it to 

 climb; it can elongate and contract at pleasure the 

 rings of its body. It accordingly, with two con- 

 tiguous rings, lays hold, as with a pair of pincers, of 

 the portion of the sloughed skin nearest the head; and 

 elongating the rings beyond this, seizes upon a more 

 distant portion, while it lets go the first. Repeating 

 this process several times, it at length arrives at the 

 silk button. 



a, suspended caterpillar of Vanessa Antiopa splitting its skin 

 for the evolution of tiie chrysalis. 6, the head of the chrysalis 

 eirei'ging. c, the same process farther advanced, d, the per- 

 fect pupa. 



The tail of a jjirysalis, to an ordinary observer, 

 ■would appear smooth, and quite unfitted for being 



