578 
ARTICULATA. 
colored, and extend from six to six and a half inches. The caterpillar is four or five inches long, 
of a green color banded with pale blue, and feeding on the walnut. 
Among the great variety of other insects of this kind, common in our country, we must not omit 
to mention the destructive Tent Caterpill ak, Clisiocam'pa Americana^ of which the moth is a small 
reddish-broAvn insect, flying in at the windows, and burning its wings in the lamp, at night; it 
comes to maturity in June, at which time it breaks up its encampment and seeks some crevice 
in which to make its cocoon. The eggs deposited in rays around the twigs of the trees, are 
hatched in April or May, when the insects spin from their mouths a large tent-like or spider-like 
web, into which they retire at midday and at night. They are among the most destructive of 
insects to the fruit-trees, and though the birds destroy great numbers of them, they need the 
extirpating exertions of farmers and gardeners. The Forest Tent-Caterpillar, C. sylvatica^ 
inhabits the oak and walnut and some other trees, and often does extensive damage. 
Among the European species one of the most remarkable is the Oak-lappet Moth, Gastropacha 
quercifolia, in which the under wings project on each side of the upper ones when the insect is 
at rest, giving it a very singular aspect, not unlike a bunch of dead leaves, the insect itself being 
of a brown color. It is sometimes called the Dead- Leaf Insect. Its mode of life in the larva state 
is not less curious. The larvse live in a 
lai'gc community within a silken nest, which 
they weave for themselves ; and on leaving 
it in search of food, they form a regular 
procession, one taking the lead, followed by 
a certain number; then come two abreast, 
then three, and so on, until they sometimes 
march in ranks of ten or more. 
The following precise account of the pro- 
ceedings of these insects is very curious : 
"If you walk through the woods toward 
the close of a fine day in June, you will be 
able to see the curious spectacle of the evo- 
lutions made by caterpillars after sunset. 
Look closely upon the opening at the upper 
part of the nest, and you will see one cater- 
pillar come out alone and explore the ground with care ; a second immediately follows, a third 
following the second, and after 
these come two which touch each 
other and the one that precedes 
them ; these are followed by three ; 
then comes a row of four, then a 
row of five, then a row of six, all 
of these following with precision 
the movements of the leader- 
From this circumstance is de- 
rived their name of Processionary 
Caterpillars. If the guide stops a 
moment all the followers halt ; if 
he continues the route, they all 
hasten after him ; if he makes a 
circuit, they all make the circuit 
also. Should they find a branch 
of fresh green leaves, they imme- 
THE ZIGZAG. ^ dlatcly prepare to feast upon it ; 
the ranks spread themselves upon 
it, each one touching his neighbor, so that not a part of the branch escapes their depredations. 
THE PKOCESSIONARY CATERPILLARS. 
