56 SWALLOW-TAILED MOTH. 



stretched hands rest, placing their feet on that 

 spot, and prostrating themselves afresh. 



The more popular name of Looper is given to 

 them because the body is drawn up in a loop at 

 every step. 



The power of grasp displayed by these catei 

 pillars is enormous in proportion to the size of 

 the creature. Some of the Geometrae, which are 

 coloured greenish brown, are in the habit of 

 grasping a branch ^vith their hind claspers, and 

 stretching themselves out in a straight line. 

 This position they -will retain for hours together, 

 and look so exactly like twigs that even the 

 caterpillar-hunting birds are deceived, and pass 

 them by. 



One of the best examples of this description 

 of caterpillars is the larva of the insect that 

 heads the Geometrae, namely, the Swallow- 

 tailed Moth {Ourapteryx samhucata). As its 

 specific name impHes, the caterpillar is found on 

 the elder, though it is not confined to that tree, 

 but sometimes takes to several other trees and 

 plants. It is brown in colour, with a few stripes 

 along the sides, and, when it is stretched out stiff 

 from a branch, it has the most singular resem- 

 blance to a twig, the knobs upon its body looking 

 like buds. 



