8o 
TRANSFORMATIONS OF INSECTS. 
and marked with white eye-shaped circles. Its caterpillar is 
velvety black, and has tubercles which are more or less blue, 
with orange-coloured points. It lives upon the Saxifrages and 
the Crassulaceous plants of the hills. When it undergoes the 
transformation into the chrysalis state, it forms a silken net 
around the body, and attaches the end of the abdomen to 
its resting-place, and forms the usual girdle by which it is 
safely anchored. 
Most of the pupae or chrysalides of the Lepidoptera are naked, 
but from the above examplp it is evident that the protecting 
nature of a silken coverlet bears some reference to the exposure 
of the quiet insect to cold and rain, which are common enough 
in Alpine districts, and which would tend to destroy were 
there no natural clothing. Nevertheless, the protection it gives 
must be slight, for the insect has to sling itself, after being 
invested by it. 
The Pieridi , which are vulgarly termed Cabbage Butterflies, 
on account of the favourite food of the caterpillars of one genus, 
are found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. The larvae are 
remarkable on account of the small size of the head and the end 
of the body, and their hairy skin. The pupae are very angular, 
and have a pointed projection in front. The butterflies always 
have wings, without tails, and the legs are long and hairy. 
The type of the genus is the Pieris brassiccz , the great 
Cabbage Butterfly, which is to be seen in every garden and 
held in Europe. The butterfly is, moreover, well known in 
Asia Minor, in Egypt, in Northern Africa, in Siberia, in 
Nepaul, and even in Japan. The caterpillar makes sad havoc 
amongst the cabbages, and it is not a pleasant-looking nor a 
nice-smelling vegetarian. Its greenish body, marked with three 
long yellow lines broken into here and there, by little black 
hairy tubercles, excites indignation in the breast of every 
gardener. Unfortunately, they are not solitary in their habits, 
for they generally abound in swarms, and destroy the tenderest 
leaves of the hardest-hearted cabbages with infinite relish, and 
with an utter disregard of consequences. Everybody has met 
with some of these caterpillars wandering about the roads 
and paths, and crawling up walls and palings, in order to find a 
