A HOUSE OF SILK 
“Whew! What a big caterpillar! Uncle Jack! Mary- 
lee! Come and see it,” called Buddy, as he was looking 
into a bush. Of course, Uncle Jack and the other chil¬ 
dren went running to him. 
“Where is it?” asked Marylee, when she came to the 
bush. 
“It is right on that branch. Can’t you see it?” asked 
Buddy. 
“Oh! That’s the largest caterpillar I ever saw! Why, 
it is as long as my hand!” said Marylee, when she saw it. 
“What are those funny things sticking up on its back? 
They look like warts, but they are too long and stick up 
too high to be warts. See those black hairs, too. They 
look like spines. Isn’t it ugly?” 
“What you say look like warts are called tubercles,” 
said Uncle Jack. “That is such a long, hard word that 
we shall call them warts until you are older.” 
“The warts are in rows,” said Bess. “Those big ones 
on the front are red, and there are yellow ones, too.” 
“The rows on the sides are blue,” said Marylee. “What 
kind of moth will this caterpillar make, Uncle Jack?” 
“It is called the Cecropia moth,” replied Uncle Jack. 
“That is not a very easy word, but I hope you can re¬ 
member it.” 
34 
