50 TENANTS OF AN OLD FARM. 



food-trees of Cecropia — in our neighborhood, at least. 

 There is a clump of young spicewood trees, and yondei 

 are some sassafras saplings. Let us examine them. 

 What have you found ?" 



"• Here is a cluster of seven or eight hanging neai 

 together ! They are long, tapering cocoons, prettily 

 rolled in leaves and bound to the twigs by beautifully 

 wrapped silk. See, in this one the coil extends several 

 inches up the stem and around the twig. What is the 

 use of all this precaution ? Wouldn't the insects come 

 out on the ground quite as well ? Indeed, I should 

 think that it would be colder up there exposed to wind, 

 rain, hail, snow, and frost, than down among the dr}- 

 grass and leaves." 



'' The question of temperature hasn't so much to do 

 with the matter, I imagine ; the pupre stand an intense 

 degree of cold, even those of the butterflies (Fig, 17) 

 which are usually naked. These have 

 been kept in an ice-house for two 

 years, and when removed to a warm 

 place came out all right. Cold and 

 damp weather retards the process of 

 transformation ; but the cocoons do 

 well enough on the ground where they 

 fall, as many do ; although, on the 

 whole, I think they are better on the pj^, 17.— pupa of 

 branches, certainly thev are safe there nuTTERFLv va- 



' -^ ~ NESSA. 



from the trampling feet of cattle." 



However, there are, no doubt, wise reasons for what 

 you iiave aptly styled all this precaution, some of which 



