IN FEATHERS AND FUR. 
143 
the first thing that presents, either silk or paper. He isn't partic- 
ular, if it's only a good thick coat. 
You know how men will run away from a helpless little animal 
no bigger than your kitten, called a skunk, because of an unpleas- 
ant fashion he has of emptying perfume bags on them. Well, very 
little insects also have scent bags probably quite as offensive to 
their enemies. Some beautiful lace-winged flies smell so horribly 
that even naturalists, who handle bugs and spiders every day, hate 
to touch them. 
There are a great many insects who are not warriors, and who 
don't hide, and have no scent bags to shoot at one. Don't think 
they are defenseless, however ; the very tiniest of them has some 
way to take care of himself. 
Many protect themselves by taking some peculiar position 
that makes them look like a stick or stone. 
One Caterpillar, who lives on trees, if disturbed, will hold on 
with his two hind legs, and stick up the rest of his body in such a 
way that he looks exactly like a little twig. Here is a picture of 
him. One gardener that I read of, attempted to pick off what he 
thought was a dead twig, but his Caterpillarship having no desire to 
