1905] NatTuRE STuDY—No. 23. 61 
eggs, which on the day they are laid are of a delicate waxy yellow, 
by the second day have changed to deep pink. On the third day 
they are crimson, but by evening have darkened to lead color. 
On the next day they are almost black and the young caterpillars 
emerge. The first sign of the young caterpillar will be its jaws 
as it eats its way out through the delicate egg shell. This oper- 
ation will take about an hour, after which its first meal is gener- 
ally made from its own egg shell. The young caterpillar is about 
one-twelfth of an inch long, olive green in color and has a black 
head. Under a magnifying glass it will be seen that each segment 
has five transverse creases and that each ridge between these has 
several black dots upon it from which rise short club-shaped hairs 
or processes. These hairs are arranged somewhat regularly in 
rows across the body. When quite young the little caterpillar 
Spins a pathway of silk on the surface of the leaf, along which it 
walks out to feed and then retires to the centre of the leaf to rest. 
Throughout its life it resembles very much the color of the leaf 
upon which it feeds and is doubtless by this, as well as by its 
habit of dropping to the ground when disturbed, much protected 
from its enemies. Three days after hatching it has increased so 
much in size that its skin has become too tight for it. It then 
stops feeding and remains with the body hunched up on its silk 
platform for about a day preparing for its first moult. Gradually 
the tiny black head projects from the body and close behind it a 
new head may be seen beneath the translucent skin. The black 
ocelli, or simple eyes, of which there are five on each side of the 
head, are very conspicuous. When the proper time comes the 
skin bursts down the middle of the back close behind the head, 
and with a series of muscular contortions, the old skin is worked 
backwards and our caterpillar walks out arrayed in a new suit. 
The last part of the operation is getting rid of the old head case, 
which it does by twisting its head trom side to side against the 
food plant. It will now be seen that the skin is of a much brighter 
green and the head is also green instead of black. After this first 
moult the length of the body is about one-eighth of an inch. This 
stage lasts for three or four days and as the next moult ts ap- 
proached the caterpillar again becomes sluggish and, as before, 
ceases feeding. After the second moult the length is about one- 
third of an inch. The color has become darker. the sides are 
marked more distinctly with a faintish whitish stripe and there is a 
