GEOMETERS. 103 



move in a certain degree of processional order ; but the species 

 more especially celebrated for the soldier-like regularity of their 

 marchings,, which are performed in parallel files, from one to six 

 deep, and always headed by a single leader, is the " Oak pro- 

 cessionary," a native of Prance, but not, we believe, of England. 

 The same military mode of progression is, however, exempli- 

 fied with scarcely less exactness by several of our own cater- 

 pillars, when in broods recently hatched, those, amongst others, 

 of the " Gold-tail ' and " Buff-tip '' moths, of whom more 

 in another place. A company of the latter,"* when just em- 

 bodied (from the egg), and taking the field on the " green 

 area' J of an oak leaf, are accustomed to march slowly over it 

 in even files, and foraging as they march to mark their 

 progress by leaving all behind them brown and arid, whilst all 

 before them is fresh and verdant. Though, from the size of 

 these Lilliputian troops, the colour of their uniforms is 

 not very distinguishable, a close observer may readily discern 

 that they are black and yellow. 



The Tumblers and Posture-masters, whom we have described 

 in the exhibition of their wonderful performances in the 

 branching streets of our leaf-embowered city, belong to another 

 and very peculiar tribe of Moth Caterpillars. Prom their 

 singular mode of progression wherein they seem, as it were, 

 to measure the ground over which they pass they are called 

 "Measurers and Geometers" also " Loopers" because they 



* Vignette. 



