The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-06-20

fork in the tWig, where they stopped and began to make tent about them selves, using the forked twig as frame l on which to stretch it. The tent was small, but large enough for the imme- diate use of its tiny inmates, and from it's sheltering cover the little cater pillars made journeys to the end of the ! tEig. where they fed freely -4on the
 tender leaves which were just unfolding
 Having eaten as much as they could hold apparently, they marched back to
 camp, there to rest until hunger
 prompted them to set out for the feed ing-grounds again. Their tent was doubtless a great protection, not only | from the birds and other living foes also from the weather, for they always re- | mained indoors on stormy days. As | they grew larger they increased the size of their dwellings in proportion, and | beautiful structure it became. It was shining white, and its taut outlines took | the most beautiful curves, which ex- tended from tWig to twig. And the Ht- tie hairy spinners, with their many
 colored spots and stripes, passed rapid
 y AtOIlA OI4S SiuS Ul ltsS lSLtl tU lIlS UIIlSTs | spinning out their threads and attach | ing them to the bark Of the twigs. But
 over the doorWays which had been left in the tent at convenient points, no | thread was ever stretched; the insects ' were careful that they did not lock themselves out.
 But by and by the growing cater pillars had completely stripped the
 leaves from the twigs at the end of ! their branch, and, moreover their tent had become about as large as the framework would accommodate. So they struck camp and marched down the branch to much larger crotch, where another colony, which had | migrated for similar reasons, had al-
 ready begun to weave 8 more extensive home than had been necessary up to
 that time. Our colony joined this one, ! and the two made splendid tent, from | which they journeyed over their silvery
 pathway to all parts of the tree, which
 they completely defoIiated to satiate
 their ravenous appetites.
 But in the meantime many of the | migratory birds had returned, and ] some of these began to make fre- quent visits to the home of the cater pillars. Several times I saw BaIti-
 more oriole perched close to the tent, and now and then he would reach into it and drag out a luckless caterpillar. Then there was a yelloW-billed cuckoo
 who came around now and then, and left little holes to show where his long
 
 the tent. One evening I saw a skunk very busy at the foot of the tree. and if am not very much mistaken he was munching caterpillars; but unless one is
 on very good terms with a skunk, 1t
 does not do to be too inquisitive concerning his private affairs. No doubt the larvae had many other ene- ] mics, but I didn't happen to see them. A number also died from exhaustion or other causes during those trying periods at which the caterpillars shed their skin.
 However, in about six weeks from the time they were matched, they became full grown, measuring about two inches in length and were ready to enter the l next stage of their, existence, namely, the chrysalis, stage. They left the some what dilapidated tent and crawled down the now leafless tree, and searched, each one for himelf. for quiet hooks in
 which to pass the coming period of rest. Three crept under an old board; one
 crawled into a discarded shoe and several more found suitable hiding places beneath large stones lying on the
 ground. Then each one spun about his
 body an elliptical cocoon of silk, inside
 of which he wriggled about for time,
 becoming shorter and thicker, and
 gradually changing to a pupa or chry- sails, which lay as still as death. But three weeks later the dormant insects
 had emerged as night-f1ying brown
 moths, which will shortly lay their eggs
 on the twigs of wild cherry, apple and other trees. and having thus completed their circle of life, they will die, leaving thousands of unmatched progeny to defoliate the trees next year.
 ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES.