Ur. Skene on the — of Caterpillars. 285 
inferiority of one class to another in the at nature 
of their operations, Wherever our observation 
the wide field of nature, we shall not want cause fot wonder, 
or motives for diffidence in the limited extent of our own fa- 
culties. It is admitted that instinct may account for their pro~ 
ceedings so long as they remain uninterrupted by opposition, 
but what must we call that species of intelligence that instant- 
ly proceeds to remedy, if practicable, any unforeseen accident 
that may interrupt their proceedings ¢ 
I observed, what appeared to me, a very slender snake, 
writhing across my path, which, but for the unusual season 
for these reptiles to appear, } should, no doubt, have passed 
unheeded. See plate 1V. Fig. 8. Upon examination, how- 
ever, it turned out to be the orderly emigration of a colony of 
Jarge caterpillars: They were proceeding assiduously along 
the rocky path, in a line of march by single - and so close 
that they appeared to have a hold each of his neighbour’s 
tail, and the continued wave formed by sheik wigan had a 
very singular effect. stony surface of the path render- 
ed their progress ssteudingly tortuous, and interrupted by 
much climbing over stones, as they seemed in general more 
disposed to go over the top of a stone than round its base. 
When ‘such obstacles occurred, the march, aotwrithsténding 
did not sustain the slightest derangement, as no troops could 
mark time with ee precision and patience than the rear 
of the line, while the front was engaged in climbing over any 
obstacle, or the leader had stopped to examine the difficulty ; 
the front, in their turn, tarrying until the rear had succeedex 
in surmounting the obstruction which the front had just pass- 
ed. They were twenty-two in number, and nearly of the 
same size, except one, considerably larger than rs rest, 
whose place was exactly in the centre of the line. The 
leader, on the contrary, was rather smaller than any of the 
rest. “ A large precipitous stone was in their way ; the leader 
red up, moving his head from side to side, as if gazing at 
at it or willing to reach some corner ; and leading his troop 
round, he frequently performed the same examination, until 
they reached the small bush, round the stem of which he 
anaes the long line following with perfect confidence, and 
by —— of a branch of the bush, they attained footing on 
the st 
ravers rsing the stone, the opposite side of which was quite 
precipitous and pretty high, it became uncommonly interest- 
4 
