STRUCTURE AND HABITS OF CATERPILLARS. 



175 



pieces of stick in their forms and colours ; as well as in their 

 mode of occasionally standing fixed to twigs, by their hind legs 

 only, for a great length of time. Such an attitude requires a 

 great amount of muscular force ; and we find that the muscular 

 system of these Caterpillars is very complicated and highly 

 developed (Fig. 398). It 

 was stated by Lyonnet, who 

 devoted many years to the 

 study of the anatomy of the 

 larva of the Goat-moth, that 

 this contains 4041 distinct 

 muscles. 



703. The greater number 

 of Caterpillars are vegetable- 

 feeders, most of them confin- 

 ing themselves to the leaves 

 of plants; and the correspond- 

 ence between the development 

 of the leaves and flowers of 

 plants on the one hand, with 

 that of the Caterpillars and 

 Butterflies which are respectively to feed upon them, cannot but 

 strike every one as a beautiful example of creative foresight. 



But there are some Caterpillars, 

 which are adapted to feed upon 

 such flowers, as come forth early 

 in the year ; and others attack 

 seeds, roots, and even the woody 

 portion of the stem. More- 

 over, there are a few which live 

 in this state upon animal matter, 

 such as wool, hides, leather, arid 

 fat. Many can digest a con- 

 siderable variety of alimentary materials; whilst there are others 

 that can only find support on some one kind, the leaves of a 

 particular species of plant for example. The habits of Caterpil- 

 lars are extremely various. Some burrow into the substance of 



FIG. 398. DORSAL MUSCLES OF THE ANTERIOR 

 SEGMENTS OP THE CATERPILLAR OF Cossus. 



FIG. 399 NKST OF TORTKIX. 



