■58 Transacdons. 



the creatures must keep on feeding, or their own supply 

 would speedily fail. Colman says they are just like usurers; 

 while draining a client, they keep up his credit with the 

 world as long as they can. The caterpillar grows weaker 

 and weaker as the gnawing gi-ubs within grow stronger and 

 nearer their maturity. Having finished all the internal 

 remains of the caterpillar, they eat their way out, and fre- 

 quently spin their cocoon by the side of their dead victim, 

 acd in a short time come out a swarm of dirty black impish- 

 looking flies. Shortly after the young caterpillar emerges 

 from the egg he leaves off eating, and begins to prepare for 

 his first moulting, which he must do four or five times 

 during the course of its Icirvce existence. He begins by 

 fixing itself to the food jjlant, or whatever is near it at the 

 time, by the means of a few silk threads, and in this position 

 the creature is prepared for a complete change of garments. 

 The moulting process is very curious.' The first thing you 

 may observe is a small rent down the head and thorax. 

 When the rent is sufficiently large for the creature to poke 

 out his head, he begins a series of wrigglings and twisting, 

 till such time as he manages to tear his old coat down the 

 back. Another wriggle or two more, and he shuffles off the 

 old rag. He is now dressed in a splendid new vesture, some- 

 what similar to the old one, but never exactly. The most 

 spendid is generally reserved for the last. Not only does the 

 outer husk come off at these times, but, what is more won- 

 derful, the lining membrane of all the digestive passages, and 

 the large breathing tubes are cast off and removed at the 

 same time. I have often watched the larva of the Bomby- 

 cinse order going through this curious process ; still, I am not 

 qualified to describe all the minute particulars of this very 

 curious process ; probably, if it were well examined in all its 

 parts by a competent party, it might be found that we had 

 much yet to learn in this simple-looking matter which few 

 ever think anything about. After the creature has rested a 

 little from the fatigues of moulting, he begins to look about 

 for soraethingj to eat : in many instances he begins by 



