CHAPTER X. 



MY CORYDALUS. 



"Mislike me not." 



Merchant of Venice, 



CORYDALIS or Coryda^s ? Authorities differ. 

 Let us " follow our leader," Packard, and say 

 Corydalws, despite the array of Tenney, Duncan, 

 and Wood in favor of " is." 



Never mind how Corydalus spells his name. 

 He is an evil beast. 



I well remember the day when my first and 

 only larva of Corydalus was found in the further 

 creek. I have cause to remember it, for did I 

 not find some caterpillars dwelling in closed net- 

 tle-leaves, and did I not sting myself most unmer- 

 cifully in taking possession of my findings and 

 pulling up part of the nettle to carry home ? 



Did you ever prick your hands beautifully with 

 nettles, and then wash in a brook underneath 

 willows ? Ah, that is a sensation ! One hardly 

 wonders that in olden times people used nettles 

 for striking paralyzed limbs, hoping to bring feel- 

 ing back into them. What callous hands the old 

 Germans must have had in those days when they 

 made the cloth called " Nessel-tuch " f rom nettles. 



