The Processionary: the Eggs 



gracefully grouping her egg-beads. Among 

 their number is the Neustrian Bombyx, whose 

 caterpillar is known by the name of "Livery," 

 because of his costume. Her eggs are as- 

 sembled in bracelets around little branches 

 varying greatly in nature, apple- and pear- 

 branches chiefly. Any one seeing this elegant 

 work for the first time would be ready to 

 attribute it to the fingers of a skilled stringer 

 of beads. My small son Paul opens eyes wide 

 with surprise and utters an astonished "Oh!" 

 each time that he comes upon the dear little 

 bracelet. The beauty of order forces itself 

 upon his dawning attention. 



Though not so long and marked above all 

 by the absence of any wrapper, the ring of 

 the Neustrian Bombyx reminds one of the 

 other's cylinder, stripped of its scaly covering. 

 It would be easy to multiply these instances 

 of elegant grouping, contrived now in one 

 way, now in another, but always with consum- 

 mate art. It would take up too much time, 

 however. Let us keep to the Pine Bombyx. 



The hatching takes place in September, a 

 little earlier in one case, a little later in 

 another. So that I may easily watch the new- 

 born caterpillars in their first labours, I have 



