xxiv LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 



in such a position that a portion of the edge passes between 

 the anterior legs, which support and keep it steady. Before 

 applying its mouth, the caterpillar stretches its body and ad- 

 vances its head as far as possible, that it may command a 

 larger extent of the leaf. The mandibles are moved with 

 great rapidity, and every time they meet cut off a small piece, 

 which is instantly swallowed. At every motion of the jaws the 

 head is drawn nearer the legs, and after it has been brought as 

 far as possible, the body being contracted for the purpose, it is 

 again extended to the point where it commenced to gnaw, and 

 the same process repeated. In this manner the mandibles 

 describe a succession of arcs, and the leaf is cut in the segment 

 of a circle, somewhat resembling the circular incision made by 

 the Leaf-cutting Bees. It seems, also, that the notch in the 

 middle of the upper lip, formerly alluded to, is of great service, 

 as it is placed on a line with the place where the jaws arise, 

 and serves as a groove, both to give steadiness to the margin 

 of the leaf, and to guide it in the direction most favourable for 

 the jaws to act upon it. 



"The only remaining organs to which it is necessary to 

 allude are the eyes and antennae. The former appear as small 

 dark-coloured points, arranged in two circles, containing six 

 each, on the anterior part of the head. These points vary in 

 size, and seem to be of the same nature as the simple eyes of 

 spiders, and the stemmata of various kinds of insects. The 

 antennae, often the most conspicuous appendages of the head 

 in perfect insects, are very minute in Lepidopterous larvae, 

 usually consisting of two or three short joints. They are 

 almost always of a conical form, and many species have the 

 power of drawing the joints within each other, like the tubes of 

 a telescope, till they are wholly concealed. 



" Many caterpillars of the day-flying Lepidoptera are smooth 

 oa the surface, or covered only with a very short matted 



