The Vegetable or Bulrush Caterpillars. 73 



vegetates therefrom, and not only impedes the process of change 

 in the chrysalis, but likewise occasions the death of the caterpillar. 

 It is now quite clear that the vegetating process thus commences, 

 and that, too, during the life-time of the insect. It is not improba- 

 ble but that it might have received this seed while adhering to the 

 tree, as there is no doubt but these seeds float about, and are sus- 

 pended in the atmosphere, and are thus carried to a considerable 

 distance beyond their present locale. 



It is also more probable that the caterpillar has got this seed in its 

 body previous to its inhuming itself, though it is the opinion of 

 some very high authorities that it is after its inhumation that it gets 

 the seed of this fungus. 



The reason of assigning the process of vegetation to take place 

 during the life of the insect, is this : that when changed into a plant, 

 it always preserves its perfect form. In no one instance has decom- 

 position appeared to have commenced, or the skin to have contract- 

 ed or expanded beyond its natural size. 



There are abundance of these plants to be found in New Zealand 

 in certain districts, and always in a light peaty soil, where these 

 trees are to be found upon which the caterpillars are being suspend- 

 ed previous to their inhumation. There are some very good speci- 

 mens to be seen in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons. 



A plant of a similar kind has been discovered on the banks of the 

 Murrumbidgee river, in New South Wales, in a rich alluvial black 

 soil. The insect in some specimens was six inches long, and the 

 plant about the same, springing, as in the case of the New Zealand 

 (Sphoeria Robertsia) from the nape of the neck. This plant is quite 

 different from the other in this respect; the New South Wales 

 (Sphceria Innominata) has a thick stem, formed by the close union 

 of several stalks which unite at the top, and are surrounded by a 

 fringe, which, when expanded, assumes the appearance of a full-blown 

 flower upon the surface i,f the soil, the rest being buried in the 

 ground, this top has a brown velvety texture. Numerous empty 

 shells and holes were observed in the soil in about the place where 

 these plants are to be met with ; and at night, the numbers of 

 large brown moths were most remarkable, so much so as to extin- 

 guish a lamp. Both these specimens are cryptogamous plants. 



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