105 



hot climates and infest the dwellings of the inhabit- 

 ants, crawling all over the furniture and other articles. 

 Some species are very poisonous. Some have a sharp 

 sting on the tail which they make free use of in de- 

 fending themselves. When molested it curls the tail 

 around towards the intruder. There is a large lizard 

 which eats these scorpions and it is amusing to see the 

 pains it takes to secure the sting. When this is done 

 the insect is powerless. The lizard creeps up behind 

 and places its foot upon the weapon, then eats its prey 

 at leisure. 



Another insect similar to the scorpion is the well 

 known centiped or thousand legs, which can run very 

 swiftly. 



BUTTERFLIES AND WORMS. 



These two insects may well be treated together, as 

 one turns into the other, and most worms are really 

 butterflies in their larval state. This is one of the 

 most wonderful changes made in the course of nature. 

 It is very interesting to get a caterpillar of some 

 species and feed it and observe the various stages which 

 it goes through before becoming a perfect insect. 

 Butterflies are very beautiful insects. Some of them 

 are exceedingly beautiful insects, some are ex- 

 ceedingly high colored, particularly in the warm re- 

 gions and the Old World. Some of them last only a 

 few days and others for only a few hours. They lay 

 eggs which when hatched are in the larvae form and 

 after living for some time in this state and being well 

 fattened and full grown they spin their cocoon of 

 silky substance mostly and go to sleep or turn into a 



