THE CATERPILLAR. 7 



impunity, and afterwards lived to hatch duly. Then as 

 to their heat-resisting powers, some tropical insects 

 habitually lay their eggs in sandy, sun-scorched places, 

 where the hand cannot endure to remain a few mo- 

 inents ; the heat rising daily to somewhere about 190 

 of the thermometer and we know what a roasting one 

 gets at 90 or so. Yet they thrive through all this. 



For a short time previous to hatching, the form 

 and colour of the caterpillar is faintly discoverable 

 through the semi-transparent egg-shell. The juvenile 

 CATERPILLAR, or LARVA, gnaws his way through the 

 shell into the world, and makes his appearance in 

 the shape of a slender worm, exceedingly minute of 

 course, and bearing few of the distinctive marks of 

 his species, either as to shape or colouring. On rind- 

 ing himself at liberty, in the midst of plentiful good 

 cheer, he at once falls vigorously to work at the great 

 business of his life eating ; often making his first 

 meal oddly enough off the egg-shell, lately his cradle. 

 This singular relish, or. digestive pill, swallowed, he 

 addresses himself to the food that is to form the staple 

 fare during the whole of his caterpillar existence viz. 

 the leaves of his food-plant, which at the same time is 

 his home-plant too. 



At this stage his growth is marvellously rapid, and few 

 creatures can equal him in the capacity for doubling his 

 weight not even the starved lodging-house " slavey," 

 when she gets to her new place, with carte blanche 

 allowance and the key of the pantry; for, in the course 



