The Life of the Caterpillar 



wholly. Nomenclature, which changes from 

 day to day and becomes more and more caco- 

 phonous, is an unsafe guide. Instead of ask- 

 ing the animal what its name is, let us begin 

 by asking: 



"What can you do? What is your busi- 

 ness?" 



Well, the Microgaster's business is to ex- 

 ploit the Cabbage-caterpillar, a clearly-defined 

 business, admitting of no possible confusion. 

 Would we behold her works? In the spring, 

 let us inspect the neighbourhood of the 

 kitchen-garden. Be our eye never so unob- 

 servant, we shall notice against the walls or 

 on the withered grasses at the foot of the 

 hedges some very small yellow cocoons, 

 heaped into masses the size of a hazel-nut. 

 Beside each group lies a Cabbage-caterpillar, 

 sometimes dying, sometimes dead and always 

 presenting a most tattered appearance. These 

 cocoons are the work of the Microgaster's 

 family, hatched or on the point of hatching 

 into the perfect stage; the caterpillar is the 

 dish whereon that family has fed during its 

 larval state. The epithet glomeratus, which 

 accompanies the name of Microgaster, sug- 

 gests this conglomeration of cocoons. Let us 



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