MOULTING OF CATERPILLARS. 171 



minute examination we found that it was impossible 

 for it to eat, as all its organs were in a state of 

 forward preparation for throwing off their exterior 

 coat, — the old skin, in fact, covering them as a glove 

 does the hand, and the new head lying distinctly 

 farther back than the old. Neither the old man- 

 dibles therefore, which were become dry and stiff, 

 nor the new ones, which were encased in these, 

 could bite the leaves ; and even if this had been 

 accomplished, the entrance to the gullet was ob- 

 structed by the shrivelling of the old skin there, 

 and deglutition could not have taken place. The 

 poor caterpillar was in consequence starved to death 

 in the midst of abundance of food, which it could 

 neither chew nor swallow. Had it been skilfully 

 assisted (as it was not) to get rid of the encum- 

 brance of its old skin, we doubt not that it might 

 ultimately have recovered *. Re'aumur mentions th.e 

 very singular circumstance of a caterpillar of the 

 six-spot burnet-moth (Anthrocera Filipendidce, Ste- 

 phens) having actually, before its last moult, bit off 

 portions of its old skin, which it first raised up and 

 afterwards detached and tossed away. He did not, 

 however, ascertain whether this was an accidental 

 man(£uvre, or the usual process of this species of 

 caterpillar t ; though the first, we think, is the more 

 probable. 



The disorder called the Reds by the breeders of silk- 

 worms, shows itself in red-coloured stains and blotches 

 upon the skin ; while the caterpillars seem cramped, 

 stupified, and suffocated, their rings dry up, and they 

 look exactly like mummies. Count Dandolo refers this 

 and most other diseases of silk-worms to chemical 

 agency. The great quantity of vegetable food 

 devoured by caterpillars must be liable during hot 

 weather to fermentation, if it be not digested 

 * J. R. t Reaumur, Mem. ii. 75, 



