31S LEPIDOfTEROUS INSECTS. 



altering their shape, till at last they put on one very 

 different from all the rest. In this state they have 

 the name of Aurelia or Chrysalis ; and in it all the 

 parts of their future form are visible, but so very soft 

 and delicate that the least touch discomposes them. 

 Though dormant and entirely helpless, all their 

 members are now completely formed, and they only 

 wait the acquisition of a shell to defend them from 

 external injuries, and suffer them to commence 

 their flight. 



The production and manners of these, in this 

 state, imperfect animals afford much matter both 

 for amusement and instruction. I cannot, there- 

 fore, dismiss the subject, without descending some- 

 what further into the history of the manners of some 

 of the species. 



About the middle of summer a butterfly depo- 

 sits from three to four hundred eggs on the leaf of 

 a tree, from each of which, in a few days, a young 

 caterpillar proceeds. The eggs are no sooner 

 hatched than the young begin to form a common 

 habitation. They spin silken threads, which they 

 attach to one edge of the leaf, and extend to the 

 other. By this operation, they make the two edges 

 of the leaf approach each other, and form a cavity 

 resembling a hammock. In a short time the con- 

 cave leaf is completely roofed with a covering of 

 silk. Under this tent the animals live together in 

 mutual friendship and harmony. When not disposed 

 to eat or to spin, they retire into their tent. It re- 

 quires several of these habitations to contain the 

 whole. As the animals increase in size, the num- 

 i 



