THE HESPERID^. 89 



Before transformation proceeds, however, they swathe themselves 

 with a set of silken lines, which cross and re-cross the body, and 

 finally the thin, long, and angular chrysalis rests in a slight cocoon. 

 The European species are all small, and the name of Pmnphila 

 is given to those of a genus which delight in underwood and 

 thick forests. Their bodies are thinner than those of the other 

 HesperidcB, and the ends of their antenna are egg-shaped. 



The engraving represents the long and slender caterpillar 

 and the elongate chrysalis, this being swathed with crossing 

 fibres of silk. The butterfly is brownish black above, and the 

 male is almost without spots, but the female is slightly marked 

 with yellow. The posterior wings are ornamented beneath in 

 both sexes with white spots, encircled with brown, and which 

 resemble so many mirrors. This insect inhabits large woody 

 tracts during June and July. The caterpillar, as shown in the 

 engraving, is found on grasses in the spring ; it is of a green 

 colour, like the plant it feeds upon, and as it generally keeps 

 near the stalk, is not readily discovered. The transformation 

 into the pupa form is preceded by the formation of the silken 

 swathing already noticed. 



The leaf-rolling propensity is especially noticed in a species 

 of Syrichtiis, one of the Hesperidce, which curls up the mallow 

 leaves upon which it feeds. 



The caterpillars of most of the PapilionidcB do not swathe 

 their bodies, but place a silken girdle over themselves very 

 cleverly, just before the first metamorphosis. The cabbage 

 butterfly caterpillar, when it has shed its skin several times, 

 and has attained its full growth, retires to a quiet place — on 

 palings, or under the eaves, and fixes its tail-end to the surface 

 upon which it is to hang for many months. It applies its 

 mouth to the wood-work, for instance, and draws out some silk. 

 After doing this several times, and thus producing a small silken 

 tangle, the insect attaches the end of its body to the silk, and 

 hangs head downwards. The caterpillar has thus fixed itself, 

 and the end of the body grasps the silk so perfectly, that the 

 whole hangs safely. But to prevent the wind moving the future 

 chrysalis, and rubbing it against the wood, another operation 

 is commenced. As it hangs head downwards, the caterpillar 



