584 Insects. 



colour than the body. Each Caterpillar has nine breathing- 

 holes on each side ; and each of the three segments nearest 

 the head is furnished with a pair of short legs, ending in 

 a kind of claw, which are the true legs of the insect. 

 The Caterpillar has, however, eight or ten other legs on 

 the hinder segments of its body. The head has twelve 

 eyes, and two very short conical antennae ; and the mouth 

 is furnished with two strong mandibles, two maxillae, a 

 labrum, and four palpi. 



The habits of Caterpillars differ : some, which are 

 called Geometers, or Loopers, advance by a succession 

 of steps, first extending the body to its full length and 

 adhering by the fore legs, then drawing up the hinder 

 part of the body close to the forepart so as to form a loop, 

 and then again repeating this process ; these Caterpillars, 

 when at rest, often adhere by their hinder feet, and ex- 

 tend the body stiffly, like a little dry twig ; others, which 

 are furnished with more prolegs, adhere by these to the 

 branch or leaf, and raise the forepart of the body a little, 

 an attitude which induced Linnaeus to give the name of 

 Sphinx to the moths in whose Caterpillars this habit pre- 

 vails ; some small species live between the upper and lower 

 surfaces of leaves, in which they excavate mines ; others 

 dwell in small cases, which they manufacture of various 

 materials ; whilst others, dwelling in large societies, spin 

 for themselves a sort of silken tent, in which they take 

 their repose, and from which they issue daily in search of 

 food in a regularly marshalled procession. Many make 

 themselves cocoons ; but others have no other covering 

 in the pupa state than a smooth shining skin, or a dark 

 mummy-like cerement. The chrysalis of a butterfly is 

 generally angular, .and that of a moth cylindrical. 



