32 STRUCTURE OF THE LEPIDOPTERA 



mimics of the insect world never venture to feed by day, but take 

 in their quantum of provisions during the dark hours, and practise 

 their deceptions throughout the day. 



Most of the Geometer caterpillars, of which we have already 

 spoken, are well trained in the art of deception. You are out 

 on a caterpillar hunt, and engaged in carefully turning over the 

 twigs of the hazel or some other shrub, so that you may the more 

 readily examine the under surfaces of the leaves. At last you lay 

 hold of a small broken twig for this very purpose. To your 

 astonishment it is very soft, and readily bends between your 

 fingers. You look more closely at this peculiar piece of stick, and 

 find, to your surprise, that you have grasped a looper caterpillar 

 that was standing out at an angle just like a broken twig, 

 supported by its two pairs of claspers, and coloured and knotted 

 exactly like the little branch on which it rested. 



At other times you meet with little green caterpillars of the 

 same group, supporting themselves in exactly the same manner 011 

 a small twig, and looking just like a leaf stalk from which the 

 blade had fallen or been devoured. 



What a wonderful power is exhibited in the grasp of the 

 claspers and the tension of the muscles," -enabling the caterpillar to 

 fix itself and retain its position for so long a time ! Imagine an 

 acrobat fixing himself by his hands on an upright pole, throwing 

 out his body at an angle, and without any further support retain- 

 ing his position motionless for several hours ! 



Other experiences of the larva hunter are equally interesting 

 and, perhaps, even more tantalising. He is engaged in very 

 cautiously turning over the leaves of a certain food plant from 

 which he hopes to obtain the larva of a much-coveted species. 

 Then, just as his eye catches a glimpse of the very object of his 

 search, down falls the caterpillar, rolled up into a little ball, among 

 the herbage below. This latter is diligently and patiently exa- 

 mined. But no, the anticipated prize is nowhere to be seen. 

 It is probably a green one, and this adds to the difficulty of the 

 patient entomologist. Then, as he carefully separates the low 

 herbs, hoping to find the spot where the larva had fallen, the 

 insect, rolled up into a compact little ball, only sinks deeper and 

 deeper into the maze. 



Many caterpillars avoid capture in this manner, while others 

 seek to avoid detection by remaining perfectly motionless, even 

 when roughly handled. They allow themselves to drop from their 



