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INSECT TRANSFORMATIONS. 



however, though it forms a silken suspensory girth 

 similar to the Lyccpnmdre^ constructs it in a different 

 manner. Instead of retracting its head, it takes 

 advantage of its great pliability, and bending itself 

 nearly double, fixes a thread, carrying it over to the 

 other side simply by turning its head. It repeats 

 this process a great number of times, till it has 

 formed a packet of threads sufficient for its cincture. 

 It then stretches its head out into a right line with 

 the body, and remains in this position till it casts its 

 skin. The usual position of the chrysalides belong- 

 ing to the family {PapilionidcE^ Leach) in question, 

 is horizontal ; but they frequently also hang vertically, 

 and at different angles. We possess one of the large 

 garden white butterfly (Pontia Brassicce), which 

 was bound horizontally on the upper surface of a 

 leaf of the abele tree (Populus alba), being laid, and 

 not hung, as is almost the invariable practice of the 

 species. The leaf, moreover, is drawn together in 



a, ( 'aterpiliar of the black-voined white butterfly spinning its 

 suspensory band, b, chrysalis horizontally Ixjund to a branch, 

 f, the butterfly {Pieris Cr'atceai), smaller than in nature. 



