106 MEANS OF DEFENCE OF BUTTERFLIES. 



its size, would be a ready prey for any insectivorous 

 bird, may by its splendour, which, we are told, is 

 inconceivably bright, produce an effect upon the sight 

 of such birds, which would give it no small chance of 

 escape. Latreille has a similar conjecture with 

 respect to the Golden Wasps. 



The long hairs, stiff bristles, and spines, and also 

 the hard tubercular prominences with which many 

 caterpillars are clothed, may also be intended for 

 their protection. That these are really the means of 

 defence, is rendered more probable by the fact, that, 

 in several instances, the animals so distinguished, at 

 their last change of skin, previous to their assuming 

 the chrysalis condition, appear with a smooth skin, 

 without any of the hairs and spines for which they 

 were before remarkable. Mr Kirby has a small lepi- 

 dopterous caterpillar from Brazil, which is thickly 

 beset with such sharp, strong, branching spines on 

 the upper surface, as would enter the epidermis of 

 the finger, and would furnish it with effective weapons 

 against enemies less formidable than man.* 



Madam Merian has figured an enormous cater- 

 pillar of this kind which, unfortunately, she could 

 not trace to the perfect insect by the very touch 

 of which, she says, her hands were much inflamed, 

 and the inflammation was succeeded by the most 

 excruciating pain. 



The chrysalids are protected by other contrivances 

 equally effectual. 



* KIRBY and SPENCE, Intr. ii. p. 226. 



