THE NETTLE TORTOISE-SHELL BUTTERFLY. 327 



ren inches of the stalks, giving them the appearance 

 of being enveloped in black cloth. 



About the beginning of June they are arrived at 

 their full growth s when, fastening their tails by a 

 web under the nettle-leaves, or to the stalks, they 

 change into chrysalids. These are at first green, 

 but, in a day or two, they change to a bright gold, or 

 else to a greenish brown colour. They remain thus 

 for about twenty days, when they become Butter- 

 flies. Some few of this second brood live through 

 the winter, being frequently found in a state nearly 

 torpid in that season *. 



These insects, in common with some others of the 

 same family f, soon after their enlargement from the 

 chrysalis state, discharge a few drops of reddish 

 fluid, which, in places where they have been in 

 great numbers, has had the appearance of a shower 

 cf blood, and been recorded by writers as the fore- 

 runner of some extraordinary event. The first dis- 

 covery of this circumstance that has been recorded 

 is related by M. de Reaumur. He says that, in the 

 beginning of July, 1608, the people of the town of 

 Aix were in the utmost alarm from what they 

 thought a shower of blood, that had just fallen in 

 the suburbs, and for some miles round the place. 

 M. de Peiresc, a philosopher, who, among other 

 kinds of knowledge, had not neglected that of the 



* Harris's Aurelian .p. iv. tab. z. Levvin, p. x. tab. 3. 



t Papilio Atalanta, P. Io, P. Polychloriss, &c. 



Y-4 



