110 MEANS OF DEFENCE OF BUTTERFLIES. 
told, is inconceivably bright, produce an effect upon 
the sight of such birds, which would give it no small 
chance of escape. Latreille has a similar conjecture 
with respect to the Golden Wasps. 
The long hairs, stiff bristles, and spines, as also 
the hard tubercular prominences, with which many 
caterpillars are clothed, may also be intended for 
their protection. That these are really the means of 
defence, is rendered more probable by the fact, that, 
in seyeral instances, the animals so distinguished, at 
their last change of skin, previous to their assuming 
the chrysalis condition, appear with a smooth epider- 
mis, without any of the hairs and spines for which 
they were before remarkable. Mr Kirby has a small 
lepidopterous caterpillar from Brasil, which is thickly 
beset with such sharp, strong, branching spines on 
the upper surface, as would enter the epidermis of 
the finger ; and consequently furnish the caterpillar 
with effective weapons against enemies less formid- 
able than man.* 
Madam Merian has figured an enormous cater- 
pillar of this kind—which, unfortunately, she could 
not trace to the perfect, insect—by the very touch 
of which, she says, her hands were much inflamed, 
and the inflammation was succeeded by the most 
excruciating pain. 
The chrysalids are protected by other contrivances 
equally effectual. 
* Kirsy and Spence, Znir, ii. p. 226. 
