THE PROCESSIONARY CATERPILLAR 29 

 of telepathy which, in the case of insects, etc., 

 includes but a short range. 



To test this proposition I shall describe the 

 manifestations of a group on the same (insect) 

 plane. 



Most readers will have heard of the Pro- 

 cessionary Caterpillar (Cnethocampa pityo- 

 campa) : The moth, a common species in the 

 South of France, deposits a cluster of eggs on 

 the needles of a pine-tree. On hatching out, 

 the young larvae at once set to work and spin 

 a web round and about the fir-needles. In a 

 short time the web assumes a globular form 

 which increases in size as the caterpillars grow. 

 When not feeding, the creatures pack them- 

 selves away in the interior of the nest where 

 they are safely protected. After awhile the 

 branch to which the nest is attached is com- 

 pletely stripped of its needles. So destructive 

 indeed are these larvae that a large colony will 

 practically defohate the tree ; it then becomes 

 necessary to go elsewhere for food. I do not 

 say they go in search of food, for, apparently, 

 they know where to go and how to get there. 



One might suppose the caterpillars have only 

 to seek the nearest tree, but for reasons known 

 to subconscious mind, some particular tree is 

 essential. It may be the one affording a good 

 site for the nest, or that the needles are young 



