Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-06-10

It's memory never can steal away. a
Mary ID. Brine, IN Harpers Young People.
CATERPILLARS AND BUTTER.
FLIES. .......
In looking at caterpillar crawling
along path. how apt is each one of US
to exclaim, "Ugh!' with shudder of
disgust. while the sight of a butterfly
flying in and out among the flowers
gives us sensation of delight.
We cannot bear to touch the ugly
creature, though every child is sure to
run, hat in hand, after the lovely one.
Yet it is curious truth that the two
insects are one and the same being--in
different processes of development
Perhaps little observing will explain
the reason why we do dislike the former
and like the latter at sight.
The green and yellow caterpillar
comes out of an egg laid by butterfly,
and which has been glued to tree or
shrub, so as to be near a source of food.
1t has q varying number of feet, which
are little more than tufts of the skin. 1t
crawls along by the fashion of length
ening and shortening its body. through
asystem Of muscular fbers. One vari-
ETY. have smooth skins, and these easily
fall prey to birds. Another species,
which have an ugly covering of hairs,
can protect themselves, as these
prickles appear to have the power of
singing any animal that ventures to
touch them. .....
Caterpillars are most greedy feeders,
not firing for hour after hour in gorg-
ing themselves upon the leaves of cab
bages. The result is that they soon
become too large for their skins, and
most varieties have to cast them off as
many as five times in reaching full
growth. They would be far more de-
structive to our garden vegetables
were it not that only two or three out
of every hundred escape destruction
from the bites of little parasite known
as the ichneumon fly. PIE
1t cannot be denied that the cater
pillar behaves as an earthly, selfish and
groveling creature, whose only care is
to cram its stomach. AS soon as it is
full grown, singular change takes
place in the caterpillar. 1t loses its ap-
petite. and retires into some out-of-the-
way spOt-perhaps upon wall or pal
ing. There It sets about making some
thing that looks very much like shroud
for its own burial. The insect now has
the power. of spinning quantity of
thread-like silk, by drawing and twist
ing through two small openings in its
throat, a liquid which is stored up in
an inner gland, and which has the odd
quality of turning solid as soon as it is
exposed to the air. So, having
stretched itself out at full length on q
board or twig. it proceeds to fasten itself
down, by weaving an outer cocoon or
bag. Here it remains apparently life
less, and dwindling away in size, for
perhaps a fortnight, though, if irritated,
it will display a convulsive twitching.
This stage of existence is called the
papa.
When the hidden process of transfor-
nation is finished, the old shell cracks
apart, and a very odd creature makes
its appearance. This chrysalis has
neither legs. mouth nor ears, so that il
cannot move, eat nor drink, nor hear.
Underits brown skin the curious process
of growing is still going on. for the for
nation of wings, as well as more
slightly body and head.
In midsummer, usually, the brown
case of the pupa parts asunder. Out
crawls a butterfly, having three pairs
of legs. which are used forresting rath-
er than walking, and wings. which are
small and crumpled up at first. These
stiff wings soon unfold in the bright
sunshine, and the liberated insect flies
about gaily. The head now contains
excellent organs for seeing and hearing
the eyes being such compound mass
es as tonumber sixteen thousand facets
each.
The wings of the butterfly are most
beautiful, and no mechanician has yet
been able TO initiate their perfect ma
chinery for motion in the air. They
consist of two layers of n fine, transpar-
ent membrane, which inclose between
them a set of rib-like tubes, whose mis-
sion is to convey air into and through
the bsdy. The rows of very small,
dark spots that cover the membrane are
series of tiny scales, disposed after
| the manner of states or shingles on q
roof. These scales are made up OF 9TH
ers, still smaller, while the most power
full microscope detects still finer scales
and dots beyond. 1t is to this wonder
full delicacy of structure, which reflects
and refracts the rays of light striking
the wings, that the butterflies owe the
brilliant splendor given to their color
ngs. IA FL. - Sd .a.-f .
1t is noticeable that each variety Of
these insects has its own peculiar kind
of scales, and that these also grow to
be hairs and spines upon the wings.
! Another wise provision about the wings
is that the upper surface alone is gaily
colored, that being the side exposed to
view in flying. The under surface is Of
auite dull shade. hTuot ~ nFf'
Butterflies possess the instinct Of ap-
plying this arrangement of nature to
the preservation Of their lives from the
enemies that are seeking themfor food.
One win cling to the trunk OF tree,
with the drab side of the wings turned
upward. SO as to appear like the bark
in color. An East Indian specimen
will even curl itself up on twig, and
sss.