The Life-History of a Butterfly 



the first three body-segments behind the head ; four 

 more pairs near the anal end, and the last segment 

 carries another pair, known as the " anal claspers." The 

 first six may be said to represent the same legs in the 

 perfect insect. Note also the breathing holes, or 

 spiracles, placed in a row along either side of the larva. 

 The head seems to carry very large eyes, but it does not 

 really do so ; the real eyes are very minute, and it 

 requires a good strong pocket-lens to make them out. 

 There are twelve of them all told, and they are not all 

 of equal size. There are six on either side of the 

 mouth, and the three larger ones on each side are not 

 very difficult to find. The mouth is furnished with 

 strong mandibles for biting and chewing food, and also 

 contains the spinneret for the production of the silk 

 used on various occasions. All these details should be 

 carefully noted the head, the eyes, the breathing 

 spiracles, the mandibles, the fore-legs and claws, and 

 the hind- or pro-legs. Mark the totally different types 

 of feet which terminate these two sets of legs. You 

 will need to use your lens for this observation, and to 

 enable you to see the beautiful structure of the pro-leg 

 foot, it will be necessary for you to examine it through 

 a compound microscope. It is well for the young 

 entomologist to know these more prominent features of 

 a caterpillar's economy, if for no other reason than to 

 be able to answer the questions that are sure to be put 

 to him on these and many other points. 



But only a small percentage of the larvae that are 

 born into the world live to become butterflies ; some 

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