286 Mr. Skene on the Emigration of Caterpillars. 



ing to see how this intelligent general would proceed. He 

 examined with accuracy, trying every possible break, during 

 which time the main body remained patiently waiting, and 

 without making the slightest attempt to assist in the examina- 

 tion, which their leader conducted with much activity and 

 solicitude. At length, having ascertained the pass to be quite 

 impracticable, he resolved upon a counter march, which was 

 instantly performed with the most surprising regularity. For 

 the whole line in succession advanced to the wheeling point on 

 the brink before they turned, performing the evolution with 

 as perfect precision as the best trained troops, the advancing 

 and retreating lines passing close alongside of each other, and 

 even climbing the same twig, while the front line descended 

 without confusion, passing even over each other's bodies 

 without interruption or hesitation. 



Having completed their descent in the same manner as they 

 had mounted, a now line of direction was taken, which how- 

 ever was very soon most alarmingly interrupted by the arri- 

 val of a woman leading an ass loaded with brush-wood, of 

 which some blanches trailed along the path. After the pass- 

 age of this formidable assailant, I returned with some anx- 

 iety to examine the state of my colony, and found that they 

 had suffered materially from the disaster, and were thrown 

 into the greatest confusion. The line of march had been 

 broken ; a considerable body still followed the leader with a 

 quickened pace ; others, united in parties of three and four, 

 regularly keeping the'r position in the rear of each other, 

 while their temporary conductor sought, with evident anxie- 

 ty, to find out the main body, hastening first to the one side 

 and then to the other. A good many were scattered singly, 

 and much distressed, seemingly uncertain how to proceed. 

 I took each of thera up in their turn, and with a view to as- 

 certain the range of their vision, placed them at different dis- 

 tances from the main body, with their heads turned towards 

 it, and I found that they uniformly remained quite uncon- 

 scious of its presence, until placed within half an inch of each 

 other. They then approached with evident eagerness, and 

 were readily admitted into the line, by the rear halting until 

 they had taken their places. 



I put one of these stragglers in front, with his tail to the 

 leader's head, but he pertinaceously refused the honour of 

 conducting the line ; a considerable sensation seemed to be 

 communicated through the whole body at this attempt at usur- 



