THE PSYCHES 



As soon as he is threatened with the rains of autumn 

 he begins to work upon his outer case. It is very rough 

 at first. Straws of uneven length and bits of dry leaves 

 are fastened, with no attempt at order, behind the neck 

 of the sack or undergarment, which must remain flexible 

 so as to allow the Caterpillar to bend freely in every 

 direction. These untidy first logs of the outer case will 

 not interfere with the final regularity of the building: 

 they will be pushed back and driven out as the sack 

 grows longer in front. 



After a time the pieces are longer and more carefully 

 chosen, and are all laid on lengthwise. The placing 

 of a straw is done with surprising speed and skill. The 

 Caterpillar turns it round and round between his legs, 

 and then, gripping it in his mandibles, removes a few 

 morsels from one end, and immediately fixes them to 

 the end of the sack. He probably does this in order that 

 the silk may obtain a firmer hold, as a plumber gives a 

 touch of the file to a point that is to be soldered. 



Then, by sheer strength of jaw, he lifts and brandishes 

 his straw in the air before laying it on his back. At 

 once the spinneret sets to work and fixes it in place. 

 Without any groping about or correcting, the thing is 

 done. By the time the cold weather arrives the warm 

 case is complete. 



But the silky felt of the interior is never thick enough 



[107] 



