246 t A P ril > 



ceases feeding, and rests for a while, and then commences its prepara- 

 tions for pupation by selecting a stem, and spinning on it from side to 

 side a number of threads to ensure a good foothold ; next, lying along 

 these threads head downwards it spins at the bottom of them a broad 

 cone of whitish silk, having a sharpish apex ; then turning round it 

 creeps up the stem a little and with the anal legs feels about till they 

 find this cone, when they are placed close together on the stem but 

 touching the base of the cone, and a slight pushing motion is visible 

 by which their circlet of hooks is fixed in the silk spun on the stem : 

 its tail end being thus fixed, the larva stretches out its head and front 

 segments, lifting up at the same time the first and second pairs of 

 ventral feet, and bends itself backwards in a wide sweep from one side 

 of the stem to the other, as though to be assured there is free room 

 for its movements ; it next, — whilst in this semi-detached attitude — 

 and with its thoracic legs rigidly extended, throws back its head, and 

 in this way swells out its breast, like that of a pouter pigeon, leaving 

 a deep hollow between the mouth and the first pair of thoracic legs ; 

 then it bends to one side of the stem and spins a broadish attachment 

 for the first thread of the cincture, and presently with a slow and de- 

 liberate motion sweeps round as before to the other side, the head all 

 the while wagging as the silk issues from the spinneret and is guided 

 along the hollow above mentioned ; as the head approaches the other 

 side the body swells out still more as though to stretch the thread, 

 and give it the necessary curvature ; as on commencing the thread, so 

 now on fastening it to the other side, there is a delay for a little, and 

 the fastening seems to be made with a more liquid and glutinous 

 quality of silk than the rest of the thread : the first thread thus 

 completed, the larva proceeds in the same slow and methodical manner 

 — spinning some thirty threads from right to left, and as many from 

 left to right — or sixty altogether for the cincture, the time thus 

 occupied being about one hour and forty-five minutes ; occasionally 

 the first pair of thoracic legs seemed to be called in use to assist at 

 the fastening of the ends of the threads : when enough threads have 

 been spun the larva seems to test their strength by pulling them quite 

 taut with its projecting breast, two or three times, and then appa- 

 rently satisfied, it bends down its head to put it under the cincture, 

 and creeps up inside it till it hangs loosely round its back between the 

 sixth and seventh segments : next it seems to relieve itself by stretch- 

 ing upward all the front segments that had been so engaged during 

 the spinning, and in a few minutes settles into a quiet posture with 

 head bent down and legs brought close to the stem : thus it rests, and 



