ON JEWELLED WINGS. 



There are few or none who fail to 

 delight in the beauty of the butterfly, 

 while to the thinker its different stages 

 of existence are rich with lessons' in 

 which the analog-loving soul of man 

 can revel tO' fullest gratification. Flit- 

 ting about above the things of earth it 

 seems toi descend! for rest only, or to sip 

 the sweets of some nectar-bearing flow- 

 er. In the sunshine all day long, chasing 

 at will through field or woodland, and 

 with no more care than the so-called 

 "butterflies of fashion" (not as much, 

 for it needs to give no thought to the 

 fashion or fit of its garb), it basks till 

 nightfall in the delights that go to make 

 up its ethereal existence. 



But whenever we thus watch the bril- 

 liant little creature we should remember 

 that it has comie up through many 

 changes and tribulations to this its last 

 and perfect stage. Weeks, months, or — 

 as in the case of one or twO' species — 

 three years before, a tiny egg was de- 

 posited in some safe, secluded spot, the 

 parent butterflies dying soon after be- 

 cause of their mission being then ac- 

 complished. 



The Qgg is the first stage of the but- 

 terfly, as it is also of the moth. The 

 eggs of the different species vary great- 

 ly in size and shape, and are deposited 

 in as many different kinds of places. 

 Some are placed on the under side of 

 leaves, others on the outside of the 

 cocoon ; some are glued together in rings 

 around the smaller branches of fruit 

 trees, others on the interior of bee- 

 hives. In this stage they remain for 

 periods varying from a few weeks to 

 three years, when the larva or caterpillar 

 state is entered upon. The larv?e are 

 very greedy, beginning to eat as soon 

 as hatched and devouring the leaves, 

 spreading themselves over the web pre- 

 pared for them by the parent, ravaging 

 the fruit trees, or routing the bees from 

 their rightful possessions. A number of 

 changes of skin take place during the 



larval stage, ranging from five to ten. 

 Some are smooth-skinned and are used 

 by insectivorous animals for food, while 

 others are hairy and on this account are 

 rejected as food, the hair having the 

 power of stinging much the same as 

 nettles. 



Having, attained its full growth the 

 instincts of the caterpillar undergo a 

 change. It ceases to eat and begins to 

 weave a couch or cocoon round about 

 itself by which it is finally more or less 

 enclosed. It then throws off the cater- 

 pillar or larval skin and appears in the 

 third stage. 



This state of its existence seems to 

 me the most mysterious and therefore 

 the most interesting. More than one of 

 these cocoons have I found attached to 

 walls, fences, limbs and in similar 

 places, looking as though they were but 

 the dried-up remains of some species of 

 insect life. But there was life within 

 them, a germ which sooner or later 

 would spring forth in all the wonderful 

 beauty of the moth or the butterfly. 



This third period is termed the pupa, 

 nymph or chrysalis state. Its duration 

 varies from a few weeks to several 

 months, according to the time of year 

 at which it enters this stage. The com- 

 mion Cabbage Butterfly, which rears 

 two' broods during the season, is quickest 

 tO' make the change, only a few weeks 

 of the pupa form being necessary. Some 

 remain in the chrysalis a month or more, 

 appearing in the butterfly form at the 

 close of the summer. Those becoming 

 encased in autumn are like the hibernat- 

 ing animals in many respects, lying dor- 

 mant the winter through. The only 

 sign of life ever discovered in the pupa 

 is a convulsive twitching when irritated, 

 and for this reason those who know 

 nothing of the hidden beauties of butter- 

 fly life miss a great deal of pleasure in 

 net being able to study the seemingly life- 

 less chrysalis. 



AMicn mature the pupa case cracks 



60 



