162 
LIFE, IN ITS INTERMEDIATE FORMS. 
skin and throws it off; a new one, soft and expansile, 
having been prepared beneath it. This presently hardens, 
and when by the rapid growth of the Caterpillar this is 
stretched to its utmost capacity, it also is split and cast 
off ; and a similar process is repeated four or five times in 
succession. 
By this time the insect has attained its full size ; it has 
not yet, indeed, finished life, but it will need to eat no 
more ; all its nourishment is taken in the Caterpillar state, 
which it now prepares to quit for that of the Chrysalis. 
No one would havo recognised the worm-like Caterpillar 
as the offspring of the aerial Butterfly ; perhaps one might 
say, without a figure, “ He is so changed that his own 
mother would not have known him,” but the character in 
which the masquerader next appears is as little like either. 
Look at the stiff Chrysalis, all points and angles, im- 
moveable except for a slight wriggle in his armour, tied 
up to the stalk of a plant, like a knave to a whipping-post, 
and say what he is like ! Certes, you will not guess (sup- 
posing you are not of the illumiuati) either Caterpillar or 
Butterfly. 
The process of transformation is well worthy of being 
witnessed, and wo will describe it as we once had the 
pleasure of observing it, in the case of one of those beau- 
tiful large species known as Swallow-tails. It was an 
American Butterfly, but so very closely allied to our fine 
native species the Papttio Machaon, and the scarce P. 
Podalirius, that should you ever be so fortunate as to 
witness the transformations of either of these magnifi- 
cent insects, you will see that the one process is the exact 
counterpart of the other. 
