CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I.— ON THE NATURE OF THE META- 

 MORPHOSES OF INSECTS, ILLUSTRATED IN 

 THE TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE BUTTERFLY. 



Introductory — Singularity of Transformations— Remark- 

 able Caterpillar of the Swallow-tailed Butterfly — True 

 nature of Chrysalides, and misstatement respecting them 

 — Structure of Chrysalides — Errors of Goedart — Golden 

 Chrysalides — Inquiry how the Fluids of Chrysalides are 

 converted into Solids— Experiments of Reaumur— Anal- 

 ogy of the inactive State of a Chrysalis with the chew- 

 ing of the Cud in Animals— State of the ChrysaUs when 

 ready to disclose the Butterfly— Extrication of the Fly- 

 Extension of the Antennae and Tongue — Supposed Uses 

 of the Anteimae — Expansion of the Wings — Scales of the 

 Wings, 13 



CHAPTER II.— FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON THE 

 METAMORPHOSES OF INSECTS, AS ILLUSTRA- 

 TED IN THE BUTTERFLY. 



Theory of S wammerdam — Theory of Herold — Observations 

 thereon — Analogy of Insect Transformations with the 

 Development of higher Animals and Man — No growth in 

 Winged Insects — White Butterflies — Bloody Rain — Pei- 

 resc's quaint Statement — Double-brooded Insects — Dura- 

 tion of the Life of Insects shortened by Warmth, and 

 prolonged by Cold— Reaumur's Experiments — Irregular 

 Period of Duration of Insects in the Chrysalis Slate — 

 Periodical Appearance of Butterflies, 30 



CHAPTER HI.- THE NATURAL HISTORY OF VARI- 

 OUS INSECTS WHICH FORM COCOONS. 



Conical Chrysalides produce Moths, and are enclosed in 

 Cocoons— Supposed causes of the Difference between 

 Butterflies and Moths in this respect — Distribution of 

 Colours in Insects — Cocoons of pure Silk — Slender silken 

 Cocoons guarded by Leaves— Mode of Spinning Cocoons 

 — Gum and Paste introduced into the Substance of Co- 

 coons — Processionary Caterpillars form Cocoons in com- 



•If. ns, 



