A BUTTERFLY. 27 



now that he is quite large enough to be seen. 

 If he were red or black on a green leaf the 

 chances of escaping would be very much less. 

 The larger he grows the greater his danger. 

 But all this was understood when two hundred 

 eggs were laid the number was in proportion 

 to the enemies and risks to be run. In four 

 days more the skin gives out again, it is sloughed 

 off and he is an inch in length, green, with a 

 brown head and dash of yellow in dots, with a 

 very few short hairs. The moulting business is 

 almost complete, and still he is a long way from 

 a butterfly. It has been a dangerous journey 

 thus far, helplessly hanging to a leaf in the 

 presence of enemies, but if he were to take an- 

 other step out in the open all would be over 

 with him. If he moulted and showed his sprout- 

 ing wings, yellow against the green leaves, a 

 bird would be blind that did not see him. When 

 he is a butterfly there will be no more eating 

 solid food with jaws, but it will be daintily 

 sipped through a delicate tube. To tiy to live 

 outside while such a change was being made 

 would end in starvation if death came in no 

 other manner. Old Nature knows the way ! 

 So this thing must be done in a sealed up cham- 

 ber. No eye shall look in upon the mystery of 

 transformation by which this lowly grub is to 



