146 SINGULAR PROCESSION OF CATERPILLARS. 



ground, where they were dug out. Prior to the real cause of 

 the phenomenon being known, it was taken for an earthquake. 

 Mr. MacLear our Astronomer Royal, considers the accom- 

 panying specimen as an exceedingly fine one, as it shows 

 distinctly the action of fire upon it, and will help to bear out 

 the opinion that such stones are formed in the air, and that 

 we are not indebted to some of the planets for them, as has 

 been imagined. — George Thompson. — Cape Town, Nov. 2&th, 

 1838. 



[In a succeeding number we may probably be able to furnish some ad- 

 ditional information respecting the meteorolite which was transmitted with 

 the above notice. We understand from Prof. Faraday, that one of the 

 same shower has been received by Sir John Herschell — Ed.] 



Singular Procession of Caterpillars. — * My engagements 

 have been too close to admit of even a day's entomologizing, 

 but when returning from business excursions to the port I 

 have taken my forceps with me and caught everything that 

 came in my way, the results 1 shall send you by the Goshawk 

 if possible ; most of the insects I find under bark which here 

 peels off annually. One day last week I chased a moth for 

 full ten minutes, and when 1 at last secured it, I found it to 

 be Deispeia pulchella, or so nearly allied to that species that 

 I can detect no difference, but you must judge when you re- 

 ceive the specimen. Cynthia cardui is abundant, also a Po- 

 lyommatus, very like one of ours but not identical. The moths 

 I have seen are in no respect un-English, and in beetles I 

 have seen no forms that are new to me. I have obtained one 

 very fine Ichneumon out of a split pine-tree. Hymenoptera 

 are now tolerably abundant. 



On the 3rd of May I saw a procession of caterpillars. They 

 were evidently Bombyces, and in form somewhat resembling 

 Arctia caia, very hairy but the hairs white ; the body dark 

 brown but marked with paler lines. These caterpillars were 

 crossing the road in single file, each so close to its predeces- 

 sor as to convey the idea that they were united together, 

 moving like a living cord in a continuous undulating line. 

 At about fifty from the end of the line I ejected one from his 

 station — the caterpillar immediately before him suddenly 

 stood still, then the next, and then the next, and so on to the 

 leader; the same result took place to the other extremity. 

 After a pause of a few moments the first after the break in 

 the line attempted to recover the communication; this was a 

 work of time and difficulty, but the moment it was accom- 



1 Extract from a letter addressed to Edw. Newman, Esq. by A. H. Davis 

 Esq., F.L.S. 



