124 CATERPILLAR BOX. 



foliage. This habit used to be rather perplexing to 

 me, not because the creature could escape by so well- 

 known a trick, but because it would not go into the 

 box prepared for its reception. 



It is necessary to have a box of a peculiar form for 

 the collection of caterpillars. If the lid is raised 

 every time that a fresh capture is made, difficulties 

 increase in proportion to the number of caterpillars. 

 For, when some thirty larvae are in the box, they all 

 begin to crawl out when the lid is opened ; and 

 Hercules bad hardly a more bewildering task among 

 the hydra's heads than the entomologist among his 

 captives. 



No sooner is the light admitted, than a dozen 

 heads are over the side ; and as fast as one is re- 

 placed, six or seven more make their appearance. 

 The only remedy is to sweep them all back with a 

 rapid movement of the hand, to shake them all to 

 the bottom, and then to replace the lid as fast as 

 possible. Even with all precaution, caterpillars are 

 crushed; and, besides, they are delicate in their 

 constitutions, and require gentle handling. 



So the best plan is to have a tin box made with a 

 short tube, through which the caterpillars can be in- 

 troduced, and which can be stopped by a cork when 

 the creatures are fairly inside. 



Now, although this is a capital contrivance for 

 caterpillars that hold themselves straight, it fails 

 entirely when they curl themselves into a ring and 



