12 



mads by means of a strong pair of mandibles as tbey are 

 called, which act in a somewhat similar way to a pair of 

 scissors. Now it is the changes which this little worm hai 

 to pass through until it finally spreads its light and beau- 

 tiful wings, an image of all that is lovely, either to bask 

 beneath the glowing sun, or to poise at twilight over 

 flowers, inhaling from nature's laboratory the sweetest in- 

 cense of its floral haunts, that we shall now proceed to 

 illustrate. 



The insect being hatched it is now called a Larva, from 

 Larva a mask. This name was given to it by the great 

 Swedish naturalist Linnteus, who thought that the cater- 

 pillar condition of an insect masked as it were its future 

 state. In our language we have restricted the word cater- 

 pillar almost exclusively to the Larva of moths and butter- 

 flies. Grubs more especially refer to the beetle; maggots and 

 gentles, to the order of flies ; but the word larva is used 

 to express the caterpillar state of all orders of insects, and 

 so we shall use it on this occasion in reference to our 

 subject. 



We do not intend to give an anatomical description of 

 the Larva, for when I tell you that this insect contains no 

 fewer than 4,065 muscles, the very enumeration is quite 

 overwhelming ; but to understand the remarkable changes 

 which are now about to take place it is very essential that 

 we should have some general idea of those organs which 

 play so conspicuous apart in the metamorphosis of insect 

 life. 



A caterpillar is divided into thirteen segments, or joints j 

 these joints allow the insect to have perfect motion in 

 every direction. The first jointconsists always of the head ; 

 the second, the first pair of pro or fore legs, and first pair 

 of spiracles or breathing holes, which 1 shall presently 

 describe ; third, the second pair of fore legs ; fourth, the 

 third pair of fore legs ; fifth, the second pair of spiracles ; 

 sixth, the third pair of spiracles ; seventh, the fourth pair of 

 spiracles, and when present 1st pair abdominal legs; eighth, 



