"WHAT AILS HIM? 243 
whole family, which he continues to do without 
any outward signs of inconvenience or protest, 
which, of course, would be useless. I fancy he 
must have frequent attacks of that ' all - gone ' 
feeling that we hear so much about in dyspeptic 
people, but if he does he gives no hint of it by 
his looks, as he devours one leaf after another 
along the stem, and displays his plump propor- 
tions with evident pride like the whole tribe of 
horny-tailed ' sphinx ' caterpillars to which he be- 
longs. 
" But a few days ago he had a sudden and ter- 
rible experience. He had begun to think of re- 
tiring down among the dried leaves on the ground 
and spinning a cocoon, and there were bright vis- 
ions of a future life filling his little green head 
visions of a life on wings, as quick as thought, in 
an atmosphere of twilight and fragrance, and all 
manner of sweet indulgences. But his beautiful 
dream was interrupted, and probably will remain 
only as a dream. At one moment we see him in 
his prime, a perfect specimen for the ' bug-hunter ' 
who is after the larva of Ckcerocampa pampina- 
trix. In ten minutes we look at him again: w r e 
find his body shrunken and covered with minute 
white grubs, all standing on their tails, which 
are still imbedded in his body ; here one bare- 
ly emerged ; here another half enshrouded in 
a gauzy cocoon ; others with their bodies bent 
