Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-10-27
The Stupidest Thing in Creation

While all Europe was engaged in killing men, Jean
Henri Fabre aged French entomologist and cheva
er of the legion of honor recently died. found
representative of kingdom that appears to
be absolutely without reasoning powers
He found it, in chancellory, but in green
house.
The animal is neither a sheep nor diplomat, but
caterpillar 1t is called the professionally, and
pasture is the pine tree
1t is the little gnawer Of the fir tree
branches twg by twig, until the Christmas evergreen
In single file the processionary travels, in a contn-
uous line each touching the previous cat
erpillars tail. That is why they call it the process
sionary.
The first processonary wriggling from side to
as the line sets explore fodder fields spins
a fine web; the caterpillar following meekly
this TRAIL thread till by the time all the
processonares in motion the last ones travel
ing on silken highway along the FIR trees bark.
This leads from the nest, and is the only way
the processonares have of finding their way back to
the nest again.
The first processionary keeps going till he
piece yet gnawed; then he starts grazing,
and the others leaving line continuing their lit
tie individual threads also eat
When it's time to go home processionaries follow
back their fan-shaped threads till they to the
point where main silk road; then, asradde
the TRAIL they crawl nose-to-tail, back the nest
NJ Fabre-author of Lives and Loves Of the In
sects Social Life in the Insect World-tred for
years to discover what wonld happen If the home
going processionaries Westward TRAIL which is their
only guide should be doubled up In q circle. Would
tho caterpillars slavshy follow the trail or would
they the mistake and strike out afresh for
newer nest?
BY accident. the aged scientist at his villa Sar-
lyman found procession of caterpiars traversing the
circular rim a large tub containing palm plant.
When the leader of this procession to the
point where the ascending column starting along
the rim NJ. Fabre brushed away the caterpillars
climbing the tub, leader of the fell
behind the caterpillar reach the RIM This left
a complete circle of caterpillars going around and
around the palm plant
In the morning they were still going strong.
minute threads which they added they rounded
circle had made a cord a twelfth of inch thick.
Despite the pangs of hunger and the green palm
about which they circng they left the trail
The second night a great windstorm up NJ.
Fabre FASTENED the conservator" daybreak
what result this had had the stupid grubs the
palb tubs rim.
The wind had broken the circle in two places
But each line of processionaries still follow
ing the TRAIL which ever growing they
tnued the senseless march
At dawn day the procession had stopped. The
caterpillars, In torpor had halted in their tracks
The mornings warmth however, revived them
them again their brainess
For seven days the line continued its march. NJ.
Fabre computed the entire distance Ia
inches a minute, considerably than a quarter
of a mile! The trail around the tub
versed 335 times!
AT the end Of a week, line having broken into
several starved segments the caterpillars became
twisted in their march; the middle Of a line would
vrithe off beaten track and caterpillar suddenly
finding himself without trail to follow would explore
down the sides of the tub the earthen interior,
and escape.
All would have persisted the tubs rim, Fabre
Iieved but the accidental departures
stubs of trail sticking down the sides pot
which all the caterplars finally followed food
gaining the nest perhaps by accident.