96 OUR HOUSEHOLD INSECTS 



into one knows not what perils. To guard against such 

 a catastrophe, the caterpillar, when it feels the inward 

 promptings which are prophetic of its approaching 

 change, spins some fine silken threads from the ends of 

 the case, and attaches them at their outer extremity to 

 the cloth on which it has been feeding, thus, as it were, 

 casting many anchors out of both bow and stern of its 

 little boat. Its fate is in this way linked with that of 

 the larger object, and a much greater degree of security 

 is thus ensured. Very frequently, however, it altogether 

 forsakesvthe cloth, and chooses some retired corner or 

 crevice in which to anchor its little craft. Thus all 

 through the three weeks of waiting for its wings it lies 

 in its case, like a mummy in its sarcophagus. 



At length the time arrives for the final change. The 

 chrysalis, by the aid of sundry little spines arranged in 

 transverse rows along its back, one row on each segment, 

 works itself along till it reaches the end of the case, 

 and then the imprisoned moth, bursting its chitinous 

 covering at the head, gradually extricates itself from its 

 cerements, which it leaves half projecting from the now 

 useless sarcophagus. The cast chrysalis-case forms a 

 very pretty microscopic object ; it is almost transparent, 

 slightly tinged with yellowish brown, and shows distinct 

 cases for the antennae, which clearly present slight con- 

 strictions corresponding to the multitude of joints of 

 which the organ itself was composed. It also very 

 plainly shows the hooks along the back, and those on 

 the terminal segment are seen to be the largest and 

 most powerful. On its first exclusion from the chrysalis, 

 the moth's wings are very small and soft, but after a 

 while they expand until they have reached their normal 

 dimensions, and acquired their normal consistency. 



Now the little being is ready for the fulfilment of its 



