The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-10-16
CATERPILLARS AND MOTHS.


"Oh, do shake off that frightful worm.
Cousin Jennie! Be careful not to touch
it, or it will poison you!" exclaimed Nell
lie.
Cousin Jennie calmly looked down to
her skirt, and then, to the amazement of
the child, exclaimed
80 yon beauty! It's a Crecopia cater
pillar, Nellie. Do let us keep it and feed
it, and watch it's developme emf into one of
the loveliest OF our American moths"
"Moths, Cousin Jennie! I am afraid
mamma would object. She wages reg
ular war on moths every spring, and tells
us to kill every one we see, because she
says every moth lays scores of eggs, which
hatch into worms that eat our furs and
woolens"
"Nellie, dear, 1 think you must have
lost your reasoning powers. How do
you think this caterpillar, as long as my
thumb and nearly as big, could possibly
develop into tiny moth not half an inch
long from the tips of its spread wings?"
swell, l don't suppose it could; but
you say it would be a moth, and didn't
know there we're any other moths besides
those that eat our Clothes" meekly an
swered Nellie.
"Run and get me an empty strawberry
box and piece of mosquito netting, and
then Twill tell you all about this beauty"
said Cousin Jennie, who was gently pre-
venting the caterpillar from crawling off
her dreee.
In few minutes, Nellie came back
with the box and netting, and stood
watching Cousin Jennie as she placed a
twig in front Of the caterpillar, and pa
tiently waited until it crawled upon it,
and then laid it gently in the box which
she completely covered with the netting.
Nellie could not quite suppress a shud-
der as the creature touched Cousin Jen-
MES finger.
snow, Nellie, that is foolish; for the
worm, as you call it, is as innocent and
harmless as your pet canary. Many peo-
pie imagine that all caterpillars are poi
sonous, while, in reality, very few are;
and L will tell you some time which you
must not touch"
81 will never touch any, | know" ex-
claimed Nellie.
"Now, Nellie, 1 will lay you wager
that, before the summer is over, you will
have many different kinds of 'frightful
worms for your pets, and that you will
care for them, feed them, and watch them
with more real interest and enjoyment
than you have ever experienced before
with your birds, kittens, dogs, lambs, or
even your guinea pigs. Come, we will
begin with this fellow"
81 don't believe ever shall like that
caterpillar, Cousin Jennie, sighed Nellie;
'but will do whatever you tell me-"
Let us go into the garden first; and
then we will make home for our new
pet, before take you to my room, and
show you my case Of butterflies and
moths" said Cousin Jennie.
They went first to an apple-tree, from
which Cousin Jennie selected and broke
off fine branch Of clean and vigorous
looking leaves; then to cherry-tree,
breaking a branch from it. There, cat
erpillar, you may take your choice from
the food spread before you" she said.
Cousin Jennie led the way to light,
airy room III the attic, which was unused,
and brought into it pitcher of water.
Nov, Nellie" said she, "naturalists
generally make a shelf of wires or cords.
and cover it over with fresh leaves three
or four times day; but have discovered
an easier way, and, so far, it has succeed
ed admirably. 1 find which leaves the
caterpillar prefers. Then cover pitc