INSECTA. 311 



ranged in patterns ever varying, yet ever tasteful, 

 render these children of the sun the most elegant of 

 earthly creatures. Finally, the transformations to 

 which all are subject complete our astonishment, ap- 

 pearing at first view to realize the wild doctrines of 

 Pythagoras. A little egg is laid upon a leaf, which 

 in a few days produces a spiny caterpillar. This 

 grows, and grows, changing its skin from time to 

 time, until by and by we see it hanging in the air, 

 suspended by a little knob of silk which itself has 

 spun. Presently the skin is thrown off once more, 

 but instead of a long cylindrical caterpillar, we see a 

 mummy-like chrysalis, without feet, but with pro- 

 jecting points and corners here and there, often glit- 

 tering with golden spots. It hangs quietly thus for 

 a week or two ; then, splitting down the back, a painted 

 Butterfly emerges, which, after drying her beautiful 

 wings in the air, sails away to the flowers and fruits 

 in the genial sunshine. These changes have been 

 aptly used as an emblem of the Resurrection, and 

 even among the Greeks the name of the Butterfly, 

 ^ V X*I> signified also the soul. 



Insects have (in their adult state) six legs, not very 

 materially varying in form ; a head, chest, and abdo- 

 men, quite distinct from each other, often united but 

 by a slender stem ; two jointed antenna, often va- 

 riously adorned; four or six palpi resembling the 

 antennae ; two pairs of jaws working horizontally, 

 sometimes, however, modified into a hollow tube for 

 sucking ; f two compound eyes, and, in most cases, 

 three simple eyes also. The body is defended by a 



