72 



THE NATURE BOOK 



THE CHRYSALIS. 



A CATERPILLAR PRE- 

 PARING FOR ITS 

 METAMORPHOSIS. 



branch by silken cords 

 that it spun for the 

 purpose. Then, work- 

 i n g independently, 

 each larva joined its 

 two bits of leaves to- 

 gether by means of 

 other threads, the bits 

 of leaves then forming 

 a kind of ring. After 

 this foundation was 

 laid matters were comparatively simple, 

 the caterpillars continually adding other 

 bits of leaves until they had sufficient 

 to cover their bodies. Eventually they let 

 go their hold with their tail claspers and 

 dropped into their leafy hammocks, 

 which now hung suspended on the 

 silken cords that held the two first- 

 gathered bits of leaves to the 

 branches. After about forty-eight 

 hours from the commencement of the 

 work, the caterpillars had sealed up 

 the inside and disappeared from view, 

 leaving things as shown in the illus- 

 tration (p. 71). A peep into one of 

 the cocoons a few days later revealed 

 a pupa, or chrysalis ; for the develop- 

 ing insect had changed its form simply 

 by moulting its skin. And there the 

 story ends, except that I have not 

 yet stated what species of cateqiillars 

 these were. That will be quite un- 

 necessary, however, as I have already 



introduced my readers to the two identical 

 caterpillars that constructed these leafy 

 cocoons. I refer to those two fraudulent 

 individuals shown on page 50 of my pre- 

 vious article. 



The various metamorphoses through 

 which insects pass is certainly one of the 

 most fascinating features of study in the 

 lives of these little animals. In woods 

 of the southern counties another curious 

 transformation scene may be witnessed 

 at this season. From beneath a branch, 

 or leaf stalk, a curious spiny caterpillar 

 may sometimes be found suspended by 

 its tail, in the manner shown in the photo- 

 graph on this page. If such a caterpillar 

 is again noticed two or 

 three days later it ap- 

 pears as in the next 

 illustration. There, a 

 chrysalis appears in- 

 stead of a caterpillar. 

 The caterpillar, it should 

 be observed, is holding 

 itself in a curved position 

 which tightens up the 

 skin at the back of its 

 head. Eventually the 

 strain causes the skin to 

 burst at that part, after 

 which the skin shrinks 

 slowly towards the cater- 

 pillar's tail-end, attached 

 finally the old skin falls 



to the stem 



LIME HAWK MOTH. 



