CHAPTER II. 



Or THE LARVA, OR CATERPILLAR STATE. 



THE second, or larva state, is that condition of the 

 animal which follows its exclusion from the egg. The 

 Caterpillar is soft, without wings, and usually of an 

 oblong shape, differing, however, very considerably 

 in the various species. The lower figure of Plate I, 

 represents the larva of the Peacock Butterfly, 

 (Papilio lo.) 



The word larva (which, in Latin, signifies a mask,) 

 was adopted by Linnaeus, because he considered that 

 the real insect, while in that condition, was under a 

 mask. In the English language caterpillar is the 

 term employed for the grub of the butterfly in this 

 condition. 



The larvae of butterflies are extremely small at 

 first, when they issue from the egg, but they grow 

 rapidly, and to a great size in proportion to their 

 original bulk. The larva of the Goat Moth, ( Cossus 

 ligniperda^) when it has arrived at its full size, is 

 VOL. I. E 



