144 THE UNIVERSE. 



fly securely awaits the coming of spring to be born 

 again. ^ 



The magic of these metamorphoses surpasses everything 

 one could expect; they are so many dramatic scenes, in 

 the last of which arises a creature quite unexpected in 

 appearance. 



The butterfly, Avhich at different stages of existence so 

 little resembles its former self, seems to be born and die 

 tlu'ee times; but it is only a question of simple develop- 

 ment, accomplished in the midst of an apparent torpor 



85. Bomliiyx — Pavonia minor. 



during which life only preserves its hidden sjorings. The 

 caterpillar already contains all the rudiments of the forms 



1 It is the cocoou spun Ly the bombyx of the mulberry tree that furnishes our 

 silk, so much studied Iiy the scientific, and such a well-known source of our indus- 

 trial wealth. Boyle the chemist relates that a lady, having taken the trouble 

 to unravel a cocoon of silk very carefully, and to measure the thread, found 

 th.at it was more than 300 English leagues in length. — Boyle, Subtilty of Effluvia. 

 Lyonet with much reason thinks there must be some mistake here. He found 



