﻿166 
  Thirtieth 
  Report 
  on 
  the 
  State 
  Museum. 
  [54] 
  

  

  Pyrameis 
  Carye 
  was 
  also 
  carnivorous, 
  but 
  to 
  a 
  very 
  moderate 
  

   extent, 
  preferring 
  at 
  all 
  times 
  fresh 
  plant-food 
  to 
  flesh, 
  while 
  

   others, 
  as 
  the 
  Noetuidse, 
  would 
  not 
  touch 
  the 
  plants 
  after 
  

   having 
  once 
  tasted 
  flesh. 
  

  

  This 
  peculiarity 
  of 
  the 
  Patagonian 
  caterpillar 
  is 
  easily 
  

   explained. 
  During 
  the 
  summer, 
  excessive 
  heat 
  and 
  drought 
  

   prevail, 
  and 
  these, 
  coupled 
  with 
  dry 
  winds, 
  tend 
  to 
  wither 
  and 
  

   destroy 
  all 
  vegetation. 
  As 
  the 
  caterpillar 
  is 
  then 
  deprived 
  of 
  

   its 
  proper 
  nourishment 
  it 
  is 
  compelled 
  by 
  the 
  law 
  of 
  self- 
  

   preservation 
  to 
  seek 
  elsewhere 
  for 
  food, 
  and 
  so 
  it 
  comes 
  that 
  

   they 
  eat 
  one 
  another. 
  This 
  habit 
  becomes 
  hereditary, 
  and 
  the 
  

   descendants 
  frequently 
  practice 
  it, 
  even 
  when 
  there 
  is 
  no 
  lack 
  

   of 
  vegetable 
  food." 
  

  

  