CATERPILLAR OF THE OAK. 33 
in and out. Under this silken roof they 
remain all day, coining out in the evening 
only to seek their food ; and as they 
live together so they move together. 
Lucy, What ! three hundred walk 
about together I why they must cover a 
monstrous space. 
Mother, Not quite so monstrous as 
you think, for they do not wander about, 
but march close together in ranks, like 
soldiers, and in a sort of wedge- like 
order. One acts the part of chief, and, 
leading the way, is closely followed by 
two ; those two are followed by three, 
and so on, each of the rows increasing 
one in number : if the form of the ground, 
however, does not answer for their usual 
order of march they have been known to 
alter it. 
Lucy, How delightful it would be to 
meet these caterpillar soldiers marching 
away ! But such a number must soon eat 
up all the leaves on a tree. 
Mother, When that is the case they 
march off by night to another tree, and. 
