Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-10-16
Fireside Department.
All About a Butterfly.
By UNCLE SAMUEL

his young friends about caterpll-
lars changing their skin three or
four times while they are grow
ing up, had so excited their inter
est, that they resolved to give
up their evening game of Gro
quet Just to find out what the cat
erpillar or the butterfly that Ma
ry caught looked like when it
grew big and how it got to be a
butterfly.
"We'd rather hear you talk
than play" said James. aTell us
more about the parsley worm, and
how it changes into such a beau
tiful butterfly
Now nothing pleased Uncle
Samuel more than to find his
niece and nephews so anxious to
learn about that portion of Gods
works in which He has shown so
much of His wisdom, ,and in which
there is so much to excite our
wonder; so he was as happy in
talking as they were in hearing
him.
"When the parsley worm,' -
said he, ''has changed its skin
for the last time, it has a pair of
orange-colored horns situated
on the first segment, just be-
hind the head, which it thrusts
forth violently whenever it is
touched, or suspects danger.
These horns are shaped like the
capital letter Y, and give forth a
disagreeable smell. They are
supposed to be defensive weap-
ons, with which it defends itself
against the attacks of little flies
which deposit their eggs in the
bodies of caterpillars. These
flies are their greatest enemies.
because their eggs produce little
worms which feed on the sub.
substance of the caterpillar and
ultimately kill it.
sIsn't God kind.n said Mary. to
give horns to the little worm, SC
that it can scare away the ugly
flies that come to kill itg
Il think he is" said Charlie
"And when God does so much
for worms, and gives them such
wonderful instruments for their
own defense, l think we ought to
respect and study them more"
eff you would carefully study
the structure and uses of the diff
ferent parts of insects" said Un
Gle Samuel, "you would not fail
to admire and praise the wisdom
and kindness OF the great Crea-
tor, who has not neglected the
smallest of His works, and
who has so wonderfully adapted
each one of his creatures to the
position which it occupies in the
natural world
"Do tell us about its pupa
state," Mary, for she had found
that the theological train Of
thought which she had started
had passed away beyond her un.
derstanding. "Wouldn't l see il
make its cocoon of silk, or dig a
grave for itself?"
"You could not see it do eth.
er of these things, for it never
learned how. 1t has a way to
make chrysalis, which it likes
better than either of these.
will tell you what it does. When
its caterpillar life draws near te
a close, it seems to know that il
is about to undergo a great
change in its life and condition
So you might see it walking about
as if in deep thought. 1t refuses
to eat, and withdraws itself from
its accustomed places of resort,
and seeks a sheltered spot-it
may be the side of a building, OF
a fence, or trunk of a tree, where
it can safely prepare for the ex-
pected change. This is solemn
moment in the life experience OF
the parsley worm. II has break
tasted for the last time on the
rich pulp of the parsley or the car
rot lea1, and it is about to close
its eyes on familiar scenes, that
they may enlarge and increase in
beauty, and he fitted to gaze
upon the new glories of a higher
life"
''lts instinct, now, begins to
act as it never acted before. New
and wonderful powers show
themselves. 1t spins a little tuft
OF silk as skilfully as if it had
been trained in the art, and, as
though it fully comprehended its
situation-it CLUES it against the
surface on which it rests, and en-
tangles its hind feet in it, secure
ly fixing them to the spot. While
thus suspended, it makes a u
shaped loop of many silken
threads, with its ends fastened to
its resting place. Under the
loop it passes its head, gradually
working it over its back, so as to
support its body and keep it from
falling while its change is going
on. For twenty-four hours aftel
this is done, nature is very busy
at work stripping it ofits apple
green skin and shutting it up in
a chrysalis."
If you could see it now, you
would scarcely believe that il
was alive. 1t is an inactive,
sleeping pupa, awaiting a still
greater change,and a life of great
er activity. Nor is it without
beauty. It's a pale green ochre-
yellow, or ash gray color, and ii
has two short ear-like projections
above the head, and a little nose
like prominence on the upper
part of its back. Having remain
ed in this state its appointed time
the chrysalis skin breaks open.
and one more of natures marvels