270 THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 



(Coe-locTa-sys), of which we have several species. One of 

 these is represented by Figure 320. At the left in the figure 

 is shown a front view of the longest tubercle. 



Superfamily Geometrina (Ge-o-me-tri'na). 

 The Geometrids (Ge-om 'e-trids), or the Measuring-worms. 

 The peculiar way in which the larvae of Geometrids 

 walk attracts general attention, and has won for them 



the name of Measuring-worms 

 (Fig. 321). As children we had 

 the dislike for "worms" that is 

 common to people that are un- 

 educated to the beauties of na- 

 ture. All larvae were " worms "; 

 and we never thought of admir- 



Fig. 321. — A Measuring-worm. . , . . , , . r . . r 



ing their beautiful colors, or of 

 watching them build interesting houses, or of keeping them 

 till they spun their silken cocoons. But the measuring- 

 worms were excepted from this dislike. We always found 

 these delicate, greenish or yellowish caterpillars with their 

 looping motion vastly interesting. We allowed them to 

 measure our ringers with their little tickling feet, and we 

 counted each length as a yard. We were always delighted 

 with the way they had of standing on their hind legs, rear- 

 ing the body up into the air, and moving the head around, 

 as if looking at the scenery. And then, if one became 

 frightened in any way, it would drop suddenly, suspended 

 by a silken cord, which it seemed to have mysteriously con- 

 cealed in its mouth; and down it would go, doubling and 

 whirling around and around frantically until it reached the 

 ground. 



Sometimes we found these fellows on branches of trees, 

 clinging by their hind legs, standing out straight, stiff, and 

 motionless, and appearing like twigs of the tree. We had 

 not heard then of protective resemblances, and did not 

 know that the assuming of this strange attitude protected 



