286 HABITS AND INSTINCTS OP ANIMALS. CHAP. IX. 



growth, they weave for themselves a common tent. 

 About sunset the regiment leaves its quarters or, to 

 make the metaphor harmonise with the trivial name of 

 the animal, the monks their ccenobium. At their head 

 is a chief, by whose movements their procession is re- 

 gulated; when he stops, all stop, and proceed when 

 he proceeds : three or four of his immediate followers 

 succeed in the same line, the head of the second touch- 

 ing the tail of the first ; then comes an equal series of 

 pairs, next of threes, and so on, as far as fifteen or 

 twenty. The whole procession moves regularly on with 

 an even pace, each file treading upon the steps of those 

 which precede it. If the leader, arriving at a particular 

 point, pursues a different direction, all march to that 

 point before they turn. Sometimes the order of pro- 

 cession is different : the leader, who moves singly, is 

 followed by two ; these are succeeded by two ; then 

 come four, and so on. When the leader who in no- 

 thing differs from the rest, and is, probably, the cater- 

 pillar nearest the entrance to the nest, followed as I 

 have described has proceeded to the distance of about 

 two feet, more or less, he makes a halt, during which 

 those which remain, come forth and take their places ; 

 the company then form into files, the march is resumed, 

 and all follow as regularly as if they kept time to music. 

 These larvae may occasionally be found at mid-day, out 

 of their nests, packed close one to another, without 

 making any movement ; so that, although they occupy 

 a space sufficiently ample, it is not easy to discover 

 them. At other times, instead of being simply laid 

 side by side, they are formed into singular masses, in 

 which they are heaped one upon another, and as it 

 were interwoven together. Thus, also, they are dis- 

 posed in their nests. Sometimes their families divide 

 into two bands, which never afterwards unite." * These 

 marching insects may be said to form perfect societies, 

 inasmuch as they unite in building their common ha- 

 bitation, and live under the same roof : but these asso- 



* Int. to Em. vol. ii. p. 24., copied from Reaumer, Mfan. t. il p. 180. 



