32 
THE CATERPILLAR. 
In many of the towns of India and Ceylon, 
long lines of trees have been planted in the 
streets, and their broad leaves afford a refreshing 
shade and coolness. 
This would be all very pleasant, but there is 
a drawback, in the shape of a hairy caterpillar, 
who, with hundreds of its kind, live in the trees, 
clinging to the branches and the bark. When 
they want to change into the chrysalis state, they 
descend to the ground, by means of their silken 
threads. And woe be to the unfortunate lounger 
on whom they chance to alight! If he tries to 
brush them off, they sting with such fury, that 
the pain is not soon forgotten. 
The pest of these caterpillars is so great, that, 
every now and then, men are employed to singe 
them off the trees, by raising torches on the top 
of poles, and so burning them out of their homes. 
They fall to the ground in immense numbers, 
and are picked up and eaten by the crows and 
other birds. Thus, for a time at least, the 
nuisance is abated. 
But instead of soft hairs, some caterpillars are 
provided with spines or bristles that are sharp 
enough to prick you. One caterpillar that is 
very common, of a black color dotted with white, 
has three spines, and they are very hard and 
stubborn. The robins, and other little birds, are 
