THE CATERPILLAR. 6l 



so soft a state, that the smallest touch can dis- 

 compose them. The animal is now become help- 

 less and motionless ; but only waits for the assist- 

 ance of the air to dry up the moisture on its 

 surface, and supply it with a crust capable of re- 

 sisting external injuries. Immediately after being 

 stripped of its caterpillar skin, it is of a green co- 

 lour, especially in those parts which are distended 

 by an extraordinary afflux of animal moisture ; 

 but in ten or twelve hours after being thus ex- 

 posed, its parts harden, the air forms its external 

 covering into a firm crust, and in about four-and- 

 twenty hours the aurelia may be handled, without 

 endangering the little animal that is thus left in 

 so defenceless a situation. Such is the history of 

 the little pod or cone that is found so common 

 by every path-way, sticking to nettles, and some- 

 times shining like polished gold. From the beau- 

 tiful and resplendent colour with which it is thus 

 sometimes adorned, some authors have called it a 

 Chrysalis, implying a creature made of gold. 



Such are the efforts by which these little ani- 

 mals prepare for a state of perfection ; but their 

 care is still greater to provide themselves a secure 

 retreat during this season of their imbecility. It 

 would seem like erecting themselves a monu- 

 ment, where they were to rest secure, until na- 

 ture had called them into a new and more 

 improved existence. For this purpose, some 

 spin themselves a cone or web, in which they lie 

 secure till they have arrived at maturity ; others, 

 that cannot spin so copious a covering, suspend 

 themselves by the tail, in some retreat where 



