THE TRIBE OF THE ANGLE-WINGS 165 



three leaves together, binding them with silken thread. 

 The caterpillar in doing this takes advantage of the fact 

 that the terminal leaves are vertical before they have 

 spread out, so that it is a comparatively simple matter to 

 make a little house by binding their edges together with 

 silken threads. The larva feeds upon the inner walls of 

 the house it thus constructs, and as it becomes larger the 

 buds and blossoms are also utilized for food. 



When the caterpillar is full grown it thus finds itself 

 fairly well concealed within a very substantial sort of a 

 home. Many of them have the apparent good sense to 

 realize that this is as safe a place as they are likely to find 

 for shelter during the period of the chrysalis. So the 

 caterpillar makes the nest especially secure near the cen- 

 tre of what might be called the ceil ng and in this web it 

 entangles its hind legs and hangs downward, preparatory 

 to changing to the chrysalis. A few hours later the skin 

 splits apart and is wriggled off, leaving the chrysalis 

 hanging in place of the caterpillar. About a fortnight 

 later the butterfly emerges and crawls at once to the out- 

 side of the nest, where it rests quietly while its wings ex- 

 pand and its tissues harden. Then it flies away in search 

 of the nectar of thistles and many other flowers which it 

 visits freely. 



This Painted Beauty is a wonderful example of harmo- 

 nious coloring. The general tone of the upper surface of 

 the wings is fulvous, with some distinct white markings 

 on a blackish background at the outer angles of the front 

 pair. There is also more or less blackish shading on the 

 base and margin of all the wings with an indistinct row of 

 about four dots, more or less run together, near the margin 

 of the hind wing. The under surface of the wings is even 



