P- INTRODUCTION. 
state. Some Caterpillars secure themselves to a branch or wall by means of a slender web 
which they loop across their bodies to prevent them from falling, as they sink into the dormant 
state which immediately precedes their change to the chrysalis. Others suspend themselves by 
the tail to some convenient object by means of a knot of a similar kind of web. These are the 
most usual methods adopted by the Caterpillars of Butterflies, but those of Moths often weave 
for themselves a perfect enclosure by means of their silken web, which is called a cocoon, while 
others burrow in the ground, and construct a protective cocoon of earth, often so slight, however, 
that when the chrysalis is accidentally dug up by the gardener, the fragile cocoon falls to pieces, 
leaving the naked chrysalis exposed. 
After the larva of a Butterfly has suspended itself for change, the body gradually shortens 
and thickens, and in the course of a certain number of hours or days the soft skin of the Cater- 
pillar shrivels, bursts, falls off, and discloses the horny case of the chrysalis, which has been so 
rapidly formed within. 
The chrysalides of Butterflies are, as before stated, of much more angular form than those 
of Moths, having, nearly all of them, curious little spine-like points along their various ridges ; 
these, however, do not entirely conceal the form of the insect within the shell ; for in almost all 
cases the forms of the still small wings may be observed in the space traced out by linear mark- 
ings on each side. Underneath, starting from the head, the form of the antennie or horns may 
be traced ; as may also the situation of the eyes. The articulations, or joints of the abdomen, 
are plainly shown, as they agree with the corresponding joints of the shell in which they are en- 
closed, and it is this portion of the chrysalis alone that is endowed with any power of motion. 
The colour of the chrysalides of Butterflies varies from dull brown or green, to gray, and 
occasionally to more decided and brighter colours, often sprinkled more or less with black specks. 
Their most singular peculiarity, however, consists in metallic patches, resembling gold, which 
some of them exhibit. This effect, which led to some curious aberrations among the elder alchy- 
mists concerning the transmutations of metals, is now well known to be produced in the following 
manner. Reaumur satisfactorily explained that this golden appearance is caused by the exist- 
ence of a layer of fluid between the transparent outer skin and the more solid part of the shell 
of the chrysalis, which is bright yellow, and which in certain lights produces the metallic effect. 
This may be easily proved, by moving about a fresh chrysalis of the Tortoiseshell Nettle 
Butterfly, when it will be found that the seeming specks of gold change their places with the 
fluid when the chrysalis is moved about in various directions. After a certain time this fluid 
dries, and the “ gold” disappears. 
The term, Chrysalis, is derived from this metallic appearance, which some of them exhibit ; 
being formed of the Greek word Arysallis (zgbouAAuc), golden, or krysos (gold). The term Aurelia, 
likewise, by which this stage of insect development is also known, bears a similar import, from 
the Latin words awrwn (gold), or aurea (golden). This last was a term in more common use 
than chrysalis among our early English collectors, who were thence termed Aurelians. 
The time that the Butterfly remains in the chrysalis state varies in different species. But 
it may be stated that the chrysalides of the early broods of Caterpillars generally remain in the 
chrysalis state from fourteen to twenty days, while the late broods, even of the same kinds, 
generally continue in the chrysalis throughout the winter, and the perfected insect does not 
emerge till the following spring or summer. 
When the time is arrived for the insect to escape from the horny husk or shell, the time of 
the coming change may be recognised in the chrysalides of Butterflies by the gradual darkening 
of the shell and its increasing transparency, by means of which the rich colouring of the wings 
within may often be perceived, and the species of Butterfly about to emerge easily distinguished. 
The first symptom of the positive breaking out of prison is shown by the splitting up the back 
of the shell of the chrysalis, caused by the muscular efforts of the insect within. The escape is 
