BUTTERFLY METAMOEPHOSES. 27 



pansion ; neither do butterflies or other winged insects ever 

 grow, when they have once attained -their perfect fo(pn. 



Besides that of the common White, or Cabbage,* the coming 

 out of the small Tortoise-shell Butterfly, f may also now or 

 early in June be easily observed. The gilded chrysalides of 

 this also common but very beautiful insect, are now, and again 

 in August, to be found almost everywhere, suspended head 

 downwards, either to the stalks of nettles whereon their cater- 

 pillars have subsisted, or upon adjacent walls and palings. 

 By detaching carefully, then re-suspending them in their 

 natural position, we shall be able to observe, at home and at 

 leisure, the exclusion of their richly coloured pinions from the 

 gilded cases which look not unworthy to enclose them. Or if 

 we choose to follow them through their two-fold transforma- 

 tions, thereby procuring to ourselves a two-fold pleasure, it is 



i 



now easy to collect and keep some half dozen of the caterpillars 

 themselves, of which the younger broods are still feeding in 

 company on the nettle. They are black ^and green, black- 

 headed, and spiny coated. 



Our plan for observing them has been this : "We place our 

 Caterpillars upon a few fresh-gathered nettle-tops, stuck in a 

 flower-pot of moist earth, tying over our prisoners, to prevent 

 their roaming, a piece of thin gauze or muslin. If, as is now 

 most likely, they are nearly arrived at full growth, we shall 

 not have had for many days the trouble of supplying them 



* Pontia Irassica, &c. t Vanessa, urtica. 



