168 THE CATERPILLAR KIND. 



hour approaches, the insect ceases to eat, loses its usual activity, 

 and seems to rest immovable. It seeks some place to remain 

 in security ; and no longer timorous, seems regardless even of 

 the touch. It is now and then seen to bend itself and elevate 

 its back ; again it stretches to its utmost extent : it sometimes 

 lifts up its head, and then lets it fall again, it sometimes waves 

 it three or four times from side to side, and then remains in quiet. 

 At length some of the rings of its body? particularly the first and 

 the second, are seen to swell considerably, the old skin distends 

 and bursts, till by repeated swellings and contractions in every 

 ring, the animal disengages itself, and creeps from its inconve- 

 nient covering. 



How laborious soever this operation may be, it is performed 

 in the space of a minute ; and the animal having thrown off its 

 old skin, seems to enjoy new vigour, as well as acquired colour- 

 ing and beauty. Sometimes it happens that it takes a new ap- 

 pearance, and colours very different from the old. Those that 

 are hairy still preserve their covering, although their ancient 

 skin seems not to have lost a single hair ; every hair appears 

 to have been drawn, like a sword from the scabbard. However, 

 the fact is, that a new crop of hair grows between the old skin 

 and the new, and probably helps to throw off the external 

 covering. 



The caterpillar having in this manner continued for several 

 days feeding, and at intervals casting its skin, begins at last to 

 prepare for its change into an aurelia. It is most probable, that 

 from the beginning all the parts of the butterfly lay hid in this 

 insect in its reptile state ; but it required time to bring them to 

 perfection, and a large quantity of food to enable the animal to 

 undergo all the changes requisite for throwing off these skins, 

 which seemed to clog the butterfly form. However, when the 

 caterpillar has fed sufficiently, and the parts of the future butter- 

 fly have formed themselves beneath its skin, it is then time for 

 it to make its first great and principal change into an aurelia, or 

 a chrysalis, as some have chosen to call it ; during which, as 

 was observed, it seems to remain for several days, or even 

 months, without life or motion. 



Preparatory to this important change, the caterpillar most 

 usually quits the plant or the tree on which it fed, or at least 

 attaches itself to the stalk or the stem, more gladly than the 

 leaves. It forsakes its food, and prepares by fasting to undergo 

 its transmutation. In this period, all the food it has taken is 

 thoroughly digested, and it often voids even the internal mem- 

 brane which lined its intestines. Some of this tribe, at this 

 period also, are seen entirely to change colour ; and the viva- 

 city of the tints in all seems faded. Those of them which are 



