The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-10-20

cures the bunch to leaf rib. "As fast
as the leaf is eaten, it removes this
packet. which is about the size of a
small pea, farther and farther down
the midrib away from it's perch, always
keeping it near the eaten edge.
The packet is so loosely attached that
it is moved by the least breath.
and so it would distract attention from
its architect near by, who has taken
pains to place it at the farthest re-
move from his perch" but near enough
to be easily shifted. It's motion would
take the birds attention and the cater
pillar would remain undiscovered. IF
this be really its object, it is surely one
Of the oldest devices in nature" When
the larva is full grown, it is a strange,
two-horned, greenish and olive gray
caterpillar that becomes a chrysalis
suspended to g. limb. After a week, the
butterfly emerges, and lays eggs for a
second brood. When these are two
thirds grown. writes, DR.. Riley, they
build for themselves curious little
houses in which they pass the winter
First the larva fastens the stem of
the leaf with silken cables securely TO
the twig from which it grows. 1t then
gnaws off the blade of the leaf, leav-
ing little else but the midrib. Finally,
of the leaf into a cylinder, sewing the
edges together with silk. The
whole has the appearance of the leaf
of a miniature pitcher plant" q eylin-
der whose length is over half and its
width over one-tenth of an inch. These
curious little cases may be commonly
found upon our willows and poplars in
winter time. The larVa having
completed its work, composes itself for
IL. - 81.
catkins are in bloom the next spring
when it retreats from it's house ard
commences feeding. Not the least
wonderful part of the phenomenon is
that it is only the autumnal brood of
larvae that form pitcher-like houses 10
live in during the inclement season of
the year, the summer brood having no
occasion to shelter themselves from
cold"
The range of the brown Viceroy,
which is similar to the Monarch and
therefore avoided by birds, is practical
~ the same as that of its great patron,
while no other of the Viceroy genus has
so wide distribution.
The Mourning Cloak.
A purple-black pair of wings edged by
a cream-colOred border, which is irreg-
ular, much like the top of our saw
tOothed mountain ranges, distinguishes
a species of extraordinary beauty and
interest-the Mourning Cloak or Anti
opa butterfly, one of the most widely
distributed of all the species. The one
at hand captured by some of the
school children, measures about two
and a half inches across the outspread
wings. In these days they are still fly
ing about in the sunshine, and almost
invariably settling in sunny places in
such a position-with the back to the
sun-that it always receives the utmost
benefit from the suns rays. After
awhile it will creep into a hollow tree
or undeT bark or rocks to remain till
the warmth of spring shall thaw it out
again. Then 1t will lay its eggs On will
lows, poplars or elms, in little clusters
of twenty or more. encircling the twigs.
These hatch in about two weeks into
small, blackish spring caterpillars,
which eat out the leaf blades, leaving
all the veins untouched. As they pass
from oen leaf to another, each spins a
delicate thread to which ii clings.
When a week old. the skin is shed; and
the mOulting process takes place three
times more at intervals of about one
week The creature comes forth each
time with a new covering, which will
stretch a little, but which finally splits
down the Dack as the insect DecOlnS Too
large for It. AS these spring creatures
grow larger they devour the veins of
the leaves, sparing only the midrlb. BY
this time their webs have formed a
sort of swinging carpet that bridges
the space from stem to stem. At
length, each seeks a sheltered place
and spins a web, say, on the under side
of a pole In this it entangles its hind
legs and hangs head downward, till
the outer skin splits along the back.
Now 1t wriggles out entirely unlike a
caterpillar, but not yet chrysalis, only
gradually taking the form in which 1t
hangs for a fortnight. 1t then energies
lifting its head upward, as a butter
fly, to range the fields till August. At
this time il goes into summer quarters
and completely disappears for awhile
by hiding as if asleep underneath bark.
or hanging downward from a limb. 1T
revives in early autumn and begins to
search for the honey and flowers or
fruits or for that deposited upon leaves
by the aphides, or plant lice.
The Red Admiral.
The Red Admiral is another of the