THE CHRYSALIS. 107 



explained the anatomy of a silk-worm to an elderly 

 friend. He remained silent for some time, and 

 then uttered disconnected exclamations of astonish- 

 ment. 



I asked him what had so much astonished him. 



" Why," said he, "it's that caterpillar. It is a 

 new world to me. I always thought that caterpillars 

 were nothing but skin and squash." 



Having now seen something of the exterior and 

 interior of the caterpillar, we will watch it as it 

 prepares for its next state of existence. 



Hitherto it has been tolerably active, and if 

 alarmed while feeding, it curls itself round like a 

 hedgehog and falls to the ground, hoping to lie 

 concealed among the foliage, and guarded from the 

 effects of the fall by its hairy armour, which stands 

 out on all sides, and secures it from harm. But a 

 time approaches wherein it will have no defence and 

 no means of escape, so it must find a means of lying 

 quiet and concealed. This object it achieves in the 

 following manner. 



It leaves its food, and sets off on its travels to find 

 a retired spot where it may sling its hammock and 

 sleep in peace. Having found a convenient spot, it 

 sets busily to work, and in a very short time spins 

 for itself a kind of silken net, much like a sailor's 

 hammock in shape, and used in the same manner. 

 It is not a very solid piece of work, for the creature 

 can be seen through the meshes ; but it is more than 



