. 



THE CURIOUS BASKET-CARRIERS 



February i6th 



E must not let the winter pass with- 



C" i \ / 4 t ; \ out gathering a few of the cocoons 

 I i I { / of the basket-carriers, or bag-worms. 

 There are many kinds of cocoons 

 to be found in winter, and all sorts 

 of beautiful moths come out of them, but there are 

 few such queer specimens as this of the bag-worm, 

 with its array of sticks and leaves and thatch of vari- 

 ous sorts; and you may be sure it has a surprise in 

 store for you next spring, if you have not yet learned 

 its secret. It is only necessary to gather a dozen or so, 

 and place them in a box and await further developments. 

 I shall never forget my first experience with them. 

 It was one winter early in my boyhood. A larch-tree 

 in front of my city home was dangling full of the stick- 



