8 4 
TRANSFORMATIONS OF INSECTS. 
caterpillar is well known as a honeysuckle eater, and its green 
colour blends with that of the plant. The caterpillar of the 
Papilionidi already mentioned have their feet especially suited 
for climbing their favourite plants, but the white admiral’s larva 
is badly off in this respect. Its feet are not sufficiently furnished 
with spines and hairs to enable it to climb with perfect safety, 
for the twigs of the honeysuckle are smooth, hard, and often 
long ; the spinning glands are, therefore, brought into requi- 
sition, and a fine silken thread placed here and there on the 
plant, and collected more decidedly on the leaves, protects the 
caterpillar from falling violently to the ground. The chrysalis 
is very angular in its aspect, and is of a dark greenish brown, 
but it is ornamented on the upper part of the abdomen with 
brilliant silvery spots and a large one of pale green. 
The great Limenitis populi is rather common in the large forests 
in France, and its caterpillar choses very inaccessible places, such 
as the very top of poplar trees, so as to feed safely and well. 
Many a tired butterfly hunter has given up the chase after this 
splendid insect, whose flight is very strong and high, and were 
it not for a peculiar habit of this exquisite and delicate-looking 
creature specimens of it would be very rare in collections. Many 
are the evils of dirty habits and common tastes, and curious are 
the longings of the beautiful for the vulgar. The great Poplar 
Butterfly loves the moisture of horse dung, and leaves the tree 
tops to dip its trunk in the nauseous mess : then is the time 
for the butterfly net. 
A large greenish caterpillar which moves very slowly, and 
looks remarkably stupid and dull, lives during the month of 
May upon the tops of aspen, willow, and poplar trees, whose 
constant motion must be very dangerous to it. The feet of the 
larva are not well furnished with the means of clinging on, but 
the creature makes use of its spinners and completely covers the 
leaves upon which it feeds, so that the wind may blow as much 
as it likes, providing the leaves do not come off. This Nymphalis 
ilia is a large butterfly with dark wings and yellowish white spots 
upon them, the whole having beautiful violet tints in certain lights. 
It flies near long rows of poplars, especially if there is any water 
near, and loves the shade of the meadows close to great woods. 
