How Animals Work. 



of their silken nest, hardly showing any movement ; 

 but as soon as the sun has set they awaken and begin 

 to stir. A single caterpillar is then seen to issue from 

 the nest and begin to ascend or descend the trunk of 

 the tree ; immediately it is followed by a second and a 

 third ; then comes a rank three or four abreast, which 

 is followed by one of many more, the ranks going on 

 increasing in their numbers pretty regularly at first, 

 but becoming confused as the main host leaves the nest. 

 After feasting on the foliage of the tree, the same order 

 is taken up, one caterpillar which is apparently indis- 

 tinguishable in appearance from his fellows invariably 

 leading the array, and the host marches back to its 

 nest. Should the caterpillars, however, have had to 

 march a considerable distance from the original nest in 

 their search for food, they may elect to camp on or in 

 the vicinity of their newly discovered feeding ground, 

 in which case all hands, or rather mouths, set to work, 

 and a new silken cover is woven. 



But the Silkworm, the caterpillar of the Silk Moth, 

 is the most important of all insect weavers, for its silk 

 has been used by mankind for many, many centuries. 

 Indeed, the Silkworm and the cotton plant have 

 played very important parts in the social and com- 

 mercial progress of mankind; they have helped for- 

 ward the march of civilization, strengthened the bonds 

 of friendship between nations, and to-day give employ- 

 ment to many thousands of people. The discovery 

 of the value to man of the silk used by the Silkworm 

 in the construction of its cocoon is lost in the mists 

 of time, but the Chinese are generally supposed to 

 have been the discoverers of its value and the first 



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