Mr, Skene on the Emigration of Caterpillars ^85' 



inferiority of one class to another in the marvellous nature 

 of their operations. Wherever our observation penetrates in 

 the wide field of nature, we shall not want cause for wonder, 

 or motives for diffidence in the limited extent of our own fa- 

 culties. It is admitted that instinct may account for their pro- 

 ceedings so long as they remain uninterrupted by opposition, 

 but what must we call that species of intelligence that instant- 

 ly proceeds to remedy, if practicable, any unforeseen accident 

 that may interrupt their proceedings ? 



I observed, what appeared to me, a very slender snake, 

 writhing across my path, which, but for the unusual season 

 for these reptiles to appear, 1 should, no doubt, have passed 

 unheeded See plate IV,. Fig. 8 Upon examination, how- 

 ever, it turned out to be the orderly emigration of a colony of 

 large caterpillars. They were proceeding assiduously along 

 the rocky path, in a line of march by single files, and so close 

 that they appeared to have a hold each of his neighbour's 

 tail, and the continued wave formed by their motion had a 

 very singular effect, 'the stony surface of the path render- 

 ed their progress exceedingly tortuous, and interrupted by 

 much climbing over stones, as they seemed in general more 

 disposed to go over the top of a stone than round its base. 

 When such obstacles occui-red, the march, notwithstanding, 

 did not sustain the slightest derangement, as no troops could 

 mark time with greater precision and patience than the rear 

 of the line, while the fsont was engaged in climbing over any 

 obstacle, or the leader had stopped to en:amine the difficulty; 

 the front, in their turn, tar;; ing until the rear had succeeded 

 in surmounting the obstruction which the front had just pass- 

 ed. They were twenty-two in number, and nearly of the 

 same size, except one, considerably larger than the rest, 

 whose place was exactly in the centre of the line. The 

 leader, on the contrary, was rather smaller than any of the 

 rest. A large precipitous stone was in their way ; the leader 

 reared up, moving his head from side to side, as if gazing 

 at it, or willing to reach some corner ; and leading his troop 

 round, he frequently performed the same examination, until 

 they reached the small bush, round the stem of which he 

 ascended, the long line following with perfect confidence, and 

 by means of a branch of the bush, they attained footing on 

 the stone. 



Traversing the stone, the opposite side of which was quite 

 precipitous and pretty high, it became uncommonly interest- 



