88 THOSE OTHER ANIMALS. 



is slight. Still it is inevitable that it must suffer more or 

 less ; but it goes on until, just as it is about to assume the 

 chrysalis state, or shortly after it has done so, it dies, and 

 the little ichneumons make their way through its skin, and, 

 after a brief repose, fly away to recommence the deadly 

 work of their parents. It is calculated that fully 80 per 

 cent, of caterpillars are slain by ichneumons. 



The caterpillar is distinguished for its imperturbable good 

 temper ; no one has yet witnessed a good stand-up fight 

 between two of them. Even when browsing in hundreds 

 upon a leaf, each caterpillar continues its work of eating, 

 wholly regardless of the multitude feeding around it. Its 

 fellows may press it on every side, or walk across its back, 

 without its evincing the slightest sign of irritability, or even 

 dissatisfaction. It may be said that, after all, this host are its 

 brethren, and that the nearness of the family tie produces 

 this feeling of universal benignity. But family ties are not 

 always found to have this effect, even among human beings, 

 and, moreover, the caterpillar's good temper and forbearance 

 extend to individuals of entirely different species and 

 families. The largest caterpillar coming across a small one 

 makes no attenjpt to bully or interfere with it, and the 

 whole race appear to be imbued with a spirit of admirable 

 courtesy and gentleness. 



The caterpillar, in confinement, develops qualities of a 

 quite distinct nature to those which it exhibits in the wild 

 state. The silkworm caterpillar, for example, is intolerant 

 of noise of any kind, and the most absolute silence is 

 maintained in the feeding house. It is not that noise ex- 

 cites irritability or anger, but it fills it with such disgust 

 that it falls ill and speedily dies. Gardeners would be 



