CURIOUS POOD. 159 



examples in my own caterpillar-breeding experiences. 

 There are also in one of my insect cases two speci- 

 mens of the little white butterfly, which have met 

 with even a worse fate ; for they have not been able 

 to escape at all out of the chrysalis, and so present 

 the curious appearance of a chrysalis furnished with 

 head, antennae, wings, and legs. The cause of the 

 disaster was probably the same in both cases. 



The caterpillar of the Atalanta is shown on plate 

 D, fig. 4 a, and is a creature worthy of notice. 



It is a well-known saying, that "what is one man's 

 meat, is another's poison " ; and the proverb holds 

 good in the case of the Atalanta caterpillar. For its 

 meat is the common stinging-nettle, which is, un- 

 doubtedly, poisonous enough to qualify any such 

 proverb. 



The colour of the caterpillar is green-black, and 

 along each side runs a spotty yellowish band. Its 

 general shape and appearance can be seen by re- 

 ferring to the figure. 



After passing through the usual coat-changing 

 common to all caterpillars, it begins, just before its 

 last change, to prepare a spot where it may pass its 

 pupal state. Its mode of so doing is very curious, 

 and is briefly as follows : — 



The chrysalis is intended to remain in an attitude 

 which we should think singularly uncomfortable, but 

 which seems to suit the constitution of certain crea- 

 tures, such as bats and chrysalides ; namely, with its 



