36 
THE CATERPILLAR. 
than ever, and eats and grows until very soon the 
new skin becomes too tight, and has, in its turn, 
to be cast off in the same manner as the old one. 
Caterpillar with its hair wet. 
But before dismissing the caterpillar’s skin, I 
might notice that its colors are very various ; 
and that the prettiest caterpillar often produces 
the most dingy-looking moth, while a plain 
caterpillar not unfrequently comes out a brilliant 
butterfly. The body of the caterpillar also varies 
in shape, according to the species. In some 
cases it tapers off at both ends, and in others only 
at one. 
In some caterpillars the head will taper off so 
very much as to be a little like the snout of a 
pig, and on this account, they are called by the 
French u Chenilles cochonnes .” Others taper 
off at the tail, which is so sharp as to resemble 
the tail of a fish, and they have been described as 
“ Chenilles en forme de poisson.” 
During the winter, many caterpillars lie in a 
torpid state. When there are no leaves on the 
trees, the earth is a barren desert to them, and 
