The Life of the Caterpillar 



roamings which are sometimes prolonged to 

 the point of causing the herd to spend the 

 night out of doors. It is not a serious mat- 

 ter. They collect into a motionless cluster. 

 To-morrow the search will start afresh and 

 will sooner or later be successful. Oftener 

 still the winding curve meets the guide-thread 

 at the first attempt. As soon as the first 

 caterpillar has the rail between his legs, all 

 hesitation ceases; and the band makes for the 

 nest with hurried steps. 



The use of this silk-tapestried roadway is 

 evident from a second point of view. To pro- 

 tect himself against the severity of the win- 

 ter which he has to face when working, the 

 Pine Caterpillar weaves himself a shelter in 

 which he spends his bad hours, his days of 

 enforced idleness. Alone, with none but the 

 meagre resources of his silk-glands, he would 

 find difficulty in protecting himself on the top 

 of a branch buffeted by the winds. A sub- 

 stantial dwelling, proof against snow, gales 

 and icy fogs, requires the cooperation of a 

 large number. Out of the individual's piled- 

 up atoms, the community obtains a spacious 

 and durable establishment. 



The enterprise takes a long time to com- 



64 



