INSECT TRANSFORMATIONS. 143 



effected a breach at o" e end of the oval cell. Be it here noticed 

 that the rings of this Goat-Moth chrysalis are each edged by a 

 fringe of hook-like appendages, and now observe their use. 

 Grappling by these, it is enabled to push its brown shining 

 body half way out of its case, in the aperture of which it 

 remains then firmly fixed. In this position, supported by its 

 wooden walls, comes the crisis of its final change. The glazed 

 back-piece of the aurelian mail bursts asunder at the shoulders, 

 and through the rent, slowly advancing, comes out a gigantic 

 brown- winged Moth 1 the perfect form of three years' 

 development. 



The last emergement of various Dragon -Flies, may, during 

 a great part of summer, be often witnessed, by inspecting the 

 stems of aquatic plants, to which they fix themselves on 

 leaving the water, (where their earlier stages have been passed) 

 and attached to which they are accustomed to leave their 

 pupa skins, after having come out as tenants of the air. 2 

 Last summer, whilst awaiting the appearance of the small 

 Tortoiseshell butterflies above mentioned, from several of their 

 chrysalides, we gained an opportunity of observing, not only 

 the coming out of the insects expected, but that also of others, 

 which in the character of parasites had been surreptitiously 

 introduced. One chrysalis out of five was full of small 

 Ichneumons, while two others contained, each, several of the 

 brown oval pupae of a species of Fly, nearly resembling the 

 common frequenter of our houses. Of these and the like 

 parasitic invaders of their modes of getting in, as well as of 

 coming out, more at a future season. 



While the book of nature, as a mere natural history (whether 

 relating to insects or other things) was almost, perhaps, a 

 sealed volume, the "coming out" of the butterfly had at- 

 tracted notice, and been hailed as a symbolic promise that 

 man also was to " come out," in due time, from the darkness 

 of the grave. The same Greek word PSYCHE was applied to 



1 Frontispiece. 2 Vignette, 



