20 
THE CATERPILLAR. 
Yon may see from this, how well the caterpillar 
is provided with the means of carrying on its sole 
occupation, that of eating. And a very important 
occupation it is ; for the caterpillar has to lay up 
a store of nourishment, sufficient to last its whole 
life through. It cannot eat when it is a chrysalis; 
and when it becomes a butterfly, its stomach 
shrinks to a thread. Then the greedy worm, 
whose appetite could never he appeased, comes 
forth a winged creature, adorned with the gayest 
colors; and fluttering from flower to flower, 
scarcely sips the honey and nectar as it passes. 
No one could guess that the two, so different 
in their habits and appearance, were yet so 
nearly related to each other, as to he one and 
the same. 
On each side of the caterpillar’s under lip is a 
minute feeler, and between these is the spinnaret, 
one of the most important organs it has. Through 
this it draws out the silken 
thread, that serves it for so 
many purposes. The fine 
yellow gum, of which the 
thread is made, is stored up 
in two long slender vessels, 
Spinnaret magnified. ° . . .. ' 
that run down each side ot 
the body, and meet at the spinnaret, where 
there is an opening to let it pass. As soon as 
