SOME BUTTERFLY FRIENDS 



may expect if we are good, evidently 

 never closely observed the chrysalis of a 

 good healthy butterfly, else they had not 

 been so sure of their corpse. 



Lately I have had chrysalids of the 

 Papilio asterias, the common eastern 

 swallowtail, in my study. I found the 

 fat black and yellow worms on my pars- 

 ley and caged them. They soon hitched 

 themselves to the wire netting by their 

 tails, hanging from overhead on a slant, 

 their shoulders (so to speak) being sup- 

 ported by a single loop of silk. If you 

 did but tap on the wire netting or scratch 

 it these chrysalids would wiggle and 

 jerk quite angrily, their action saying 

 plainly, " Can't you let me alone? I'm 

 just having a nap!" No; it is plainly 

 no death and resurrection which makes 

 a butterfly. It is merely a caterpillar 

 who was dressed for the fancy ball all 

 169 



