A NEW ZEALAND NATURALIST'S CALENDAR. 



II. 



As I sit here looking over the garden, a black and 

 extremely hairy caterpillar a little over an inch in 

 length comes across the footpath with a rapid and 

 yet unconcerned sort of movement, as if disdainful of 

 danger. The way in which it marches over the open 

 and exposed path suggests a confidence bred of heredi- 

 tary immunity from persecution. Evidently the early 

 bird which catches the worm knows enough to let this 

 caterpillar severely alone. By way of experiment, one 

 was put down on the ground beside a hen with a brood 

 of young chickens. The old bird eyed it cautiously as 

 it crept along the ground, but would not touch it. The 

 chicks came up one after another and took a slight 

 peck at it, but each dropped it instantly. It is common 

 to speak of hereditary instincts to account for the tastes 

 and distastes which animals exhibit, but after all it is, 

 in most cases, probably a matter of education. These 

 chickens will most likely remember next time they see 

 a hairy caterpillar that it is not a toothsome morsel 

 nor a desirable mouthful. 



If we pick a bit of groundsel and arrest the traveller 

 on the march, it will walk on to the plant, and can be 

 examined at leisure. Looking at it through a pocket 

 lens a most useful and indeed necessary companion 

 for anyone who desires to study the beauties and 

 wonders of nature, the hairs are seen to arise in tufts 

 from little shining black or blue-black warts with which 

 the segments of the body are ornamented. Between 

 these warts are small red spots arranged in parallel 

 rows, and contrasting in a very striking manner with 

 the dark ground colour of the body. These caterpillars 

 are very easily reared, and it is a capital object lesson 

 for any child to try the experiment. A cardboard box 

 with glass top serves very well for a vivarium in which 

 half a dozen caterpillars may be confined. They eat 

 groundsel greedily, and only need to have fresh leaves 

 given to them every twenty-four hours, and to have 



