194 



THE ADVEXTUMES OF 



tree, when I detected a very decided smell of roses. Un- 

 der the bark of a log esquina Lucien had discovered five or 

 six beautiful insects of an azure-blue color, with red feet ; 

 these insects are very common in the sandy soils of Tehua- 

 can, and are used by the ladies of that district to perfume 

 their linen. Delighted at this discovery, Lucien continued 

 his search, hoping to find some more specimens which he 

 intended to take to his mother. He was kneeling down 

 and working energetically, when he pointed out to me an 

 enormous caterpillar. 



It was of an emerald-green color, and had on its back a 

 row of little projections like small trees, symmetrically ar- 

 ranged. These were of a brilliant red, terminating in 

 shoots the same color as the animal's body. 



" What a curious creature !" cried Lucien ; " it looks as 

 if it carried a garden on its back ; what use are all these 

 bushes ?" 



" It is not known, and it is a curious fact that the but- 

 terfly which springs from the caterpillar shows no trace 

 of all this strangely-arranged hair." 



" Will a butterfly come from this caterpillar ?" 



" Yes, certainly ; all butterflies lay eggs, from which pro- 

 ceed caterpillars, which generally destroy the plants on 

 which they are hatched. When arrived at maturity, the 

 caterpillar spins a cocoon of silk, more or less fine, in the 

 centre of which it incloses itself. It is then called a chrys- 

 alis. In this cocoon the butterfly is formed, either white 

 or black, yellow or green, and there it remains inactive and 

 imprisoned, like a baby in swadding-clothes. In spring it 

 perforates its silken prison, and soon makes its escape a 

 splendid butterfly, subsisting upon the juices of the flowers 

 obtained through its proboscis. Surely you were not igno- 

 rant of all these transformations ?" 



" I thought that they only took place in silk-worms." 



