on larvjE. 63 



play of its segmental structure. Another Latin 

 term for the Caterpillar, Eruca, may have its origin 

 in the Greek verb Epuxu (Eruco), to contain, in 

 allusion to the fact, even tben well known, that it 

 contained the germ of some kind of winged crea- 

 ture, very different in appearance to itself. Our 

 own popular name "Caterpillar" is doubtless a 

 highly descriptive word, though its origin has not 

 hitherto been very distinctly traced. When, how- 

 ever, we find that in the earlier stages of our lan- 

 guage cates or cate was a common term for pro- 

 visions or delicacies of any kind, and that the verb 

 to pill was in common use as one of the derivatives 

 of the French verb piller, from which we have still 

 in use pillage, pilfer, etc., it is not difficult to trace 

 an approximate derivation of the name. We have 

 only to imagine the term cate applied to vegetable 

 provision, and we at once get the term Cate-piller, 

 naturally euphonized as Caterpillar ; that is to say, 

 " garden robber" or " plant destroyer." 



Linnams, however, when seeking a general term 

 applicable to that stage in insect development which 

 immediately follows the egg period, and which in 

 Butterflies and Moths we term Caterpillar, seems 

 to have been influenced by an idea similar to that 

 which I have supposed to be contained in the Latin 



