New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-24

search for it in the dreary solitude of the gloomy
,eSions b,s,n"ss TO make matters worse the
buirsh-lik had is so similar to its surroundings
you have found specimen. considerab bic care u
required to get it out WIZ ib ronbout oh in}urng
1t. The slightest attempt at forcing IL up VIII snap
When the fungus takes possession OF the cater ,,,
pillar it rapidly permeates the whole body MIN
by the skin Of the insect But the outward appear
ance of the latter Is not affected in any way by
vegetable which takes its place exactly nils
part par Of the head the nandibes the legs and the
claws II is Just as If the INSECT had psem prs
also converted into vegetable tssueat least,
give any indications OF the presence OF chitine or
other animal substance. ,.-
That the fungus should thus absorb, or ass sii
ila,e the whole Of the substance OF the caierpldr
ana yet srns the rGr qd ,nf hns
conclusive proof that the animal Is not dead until
this were MOI the case some portion of the
pillar would decomfose and the skin become con
whereas an awheto touched with rot is thing
which far has not been s caterpillar
Is a compact pupy. vegetable substance AS II i Is
spotess in col3rthat Is rd 10 w tx pleasam nuty
flavor II is by no means disagreeabe 70 the palate
= G,se Wild iSO Digs are called in Newzeaand-
while the ubiquitous Weka, OF n his anI Sevours
Ac soon "a vegetable substance has been SUD
stituted for an animal substance the fungus dies
and becomes dry but IL does not shrvel TO any eN-
tent. $500 4, 81, % ,hn ,,oge-
table caterpillar with any certainty that we are
nursuine the matter Alright. Some OF you doubtless
have read that the minute spores or tne fungus
pct lodged In the folds of the neck as the insert
descends into the earth for the purpose or seekns
a refuge for its impending change. rms was Oh
Joseph Hooker's theory. but II Is one "nch Nus
I've received with the greatest caution NeVerthe,,
less like the story Of the rata tree 1t Is stu copied
from book 10 book by writer's who plindIy ioiow
The lead OF others As matter OF fact We 90 a. no ",
know how the spores attack the insect IN we II.
nstarce but as the fungus IL never 1ouhu WIFI
nmt The caterp!ar-so to call i-attached 10 H. anu
10 caterpillar IL never found without the fungus
srowing out of IT, II seems probable that they a, c
55assed on bv the moth through the egg ana srup'
A1ain 1t is constantly being repeated IN po2ns
that the grub is the larva OF large II
~ ~ the genus Hepiaus. This 10 not tlus It
"art ainjy Is the larva OF moth whose hapits q.
str,ctly nocturnal. but that moth Ii not Oh '"o
| genus Hepialus .,,.. ,,o. from, the
| ,,ngms we might ascertain what II is but po.n
H. moth and the grub are coy. ana eiuue uu "a
srasn Perhaps they have not been properly oone e.,
o. or Derhaps they are 30 closely assmiIateu IA
color and general appearance 10 the runn
anvas ~ the tree which they frequent tha oetec-
lion IS almost impossible l5e that as ~ ; ;2
mo ,h,ng SO far has been done In the way or iden,
,rga,ion Nor is any information TO be extracted
en-, The Maors the subject Ihey KNOW .nh'
,a,,h.,o offers some temptation TO the hppeu'e.
VIZ d 80, when reduced TO cinder ny burning ~
anu back pigment which Is excellent TOT ta
l,pg nnrnoscs but beyond this they know noun
nr whatever about IL