158 Bugs, Butterflies, and Beetles 



lip in a small thin jet which the air hardens into 

 the substance we call silk. 



The caterpillar of the black swallow-tail has 

 peculiarities all its own. You possibly know it as 

 the parsley " worm " — I do not know what we are 

 going to do about that word worm which comes up 

 on all occasions; I suppose we must use it as other 

 people use it, but if while doing so we understand 

 that it is incorrect, that in reality it is a slang word 

 for caterpillar, it will probably do us no harm — 

 the caterpillar may be found in June, eating the 

 leaves of the carrot and parsley. It is a naked 

 larva of yellow or green color, striped and spotted 

 with black markings. 



If you touch the parsley " worm " it will defend 

 itself by protruding, from a slit in the first division 

 of the body, a delicate pair of soft orange-colored 

 horns which are joined together at the bottom, 

 making the letter V. The caterpillar will not gore 

 you with these horns, you can touch them with 

 your finger without injury to yourself; the truth 

 is, they are not real horns and they are only called 

 horns because of their position and appearance. 



The V-shaped thing over the caterpillar's head 

 is really its vinaigrette, its perfume bottle. This 



