THE "TOMATO WOKM. 



137 



Chrysalis of the Milk- 

 weed Butterfly. 

 (Riley.) 



The Milk-weed Butterfly. — The marvellous beauty of the 

 green and gold chrysalis of the monarch butterfly will 

 never be forgotten by any one who has once 

 observed it. Collect the banded larvae on 

 milk-weed leaves. Place them in any box, 

 keep them supplied with fresh milk-weed 

 leaves, and when ready they will suspend 

 themselves to the roof of their cage. If 

 they are kept in an insectary, with glass 

 sides and gauze cover, attach a piece of 

 paste-board to the gauze for a roof to which 

 the chrysalids may attach themselves. 



The " Tomato-worm." — The large green larva found on the 

 tomato is perfectly harmless to handle. Place it in the 

 insectary and feed it on tomato leaves. It goes into the 

 ground to pupate, that is to form its chrysalis, which is a 

 smooth, brown, segmented object, two inches long, bearing a 

 jug handled tongue-case. In the following summer a hand- 

 some moth, often called the humming bird moth, emerges. 

 The " rice-grain " bodies often seen on the green larva ; re 

 cocoons of parasites that have fed in its body. These parasites 

 in their adult stage look like small black wasps. The " tomato- 

 worm " is known in science as the tomato sphinx, (Macrosila 

 quinquemaculata or Phlegethontius celeus). 



Observing a large larva of any kind making its pupal case 

 or spinning its silken cocoon is a most interesting and 

 instructive experience. 



Comparison. — After the life histories of one or two insects 

 have been observed refer to these for comparisons. If, for 

 example, the grasshopper is known and the children are 

 observing the dragon-fly, lead them to note that the habitat of 

 the first is among grass while that of the second is the air, 

 generally near or over water, that of its nymph is in water ; in 



