THE PSYCHES 



containing the eggs. The matter was urgent, they 

 evidently felt. Before making your entrance into the 

 world and going a-hunting, you must first be clad. All 

 therefore, with equal fury, attacked the old sheath and 

 hastily dressed themselves in their mother's old clothes. 



Some turned their attention to bits that happened to be 

 opened lengthwise, scraping the soft white inner layer; 

 others, greatly daring, penetrated into the tunnel of a 

 hollow stalk and collected their materials in the dark. 

 The courage of these was rewarded; they secured first- 

 rate materials and wove garments of dazzling white. 

 There were others who bit deeply into the piece they 

 chose, and made themselves a motley covering, in which 

 the sndwy whiteness was marred by darker particles. 



The tools the little Caterpillars use for this purpose are 

 their mandibles, which are shaped like wide shears and 

 have five strong teeth apiece. The two blades fit into 

 each other, and form an instrument capable of seizing 

 and slicing any fibre, however small. Under the micro- 

 scope it is seen to be a wonderful specimen of mechanical 

 precision and power. If the Sheep had a similar tool in 

 proportion to her size, she could browse on the stems of 

 trees instead of the grass. 



It is very instructive to watch these Psyche-grubs toil- 

 ing to make themselves a cotton night-cap. There are 

 numbers of things to remark, both in the finish of the work 



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