



t 



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THE CURIOUS BASKET-CARRIERS 



February i6th 



E must not let the winter pass with- 

 out gathering a few of the cocoons 

 of the basket-carriers, or bag-worms. 

 \Yj//\\J// 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- 



