The Life of the Caterpillar 



heads with a jerky movement similar to the 

 action of an intermittent spring. 



But the sun reaches the corner of the wind- 

 ow where the careful rearing is in progress. 

 Then, sufficiently refreshed, the little family 

 retreats to its native soil, the base of the 

 double leaf, gathers into an irregular group 

 and begins to spin. Its work is a gauze 

 globule of extreme delicacy, supported on 

 some of the neighbouring leaves. Under this 

 tent, a very wide-meshed net, a siesta is taken 

 during the hottest and brightest part of the 

 day. In the afternoon, when the sun has gone 

 from the window, the flock leaves its shelter, 

 disperses around, sometimes forming a little 

 procession within a radius of an inch, and 

 starts browsing again. 



Thus the very moment of hatching pro- 

 claims talents which age will develop without 

 adding to their number. In less than an hour 

 from the bursting of the egg, the caterpillar 

 is both a processionary and a spinner. He 

 also flees the light when taking refreshment. 

 We shall soon find him visiting his grazing- 

 grounds only at night. 



The spinner is very feeble, but so active 

 that in twenty-four hours the silken globe at- 



