THE VEGETABLE CATERPILLAR

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21133, 7 April 1934, Page 9

THE VEGETABLE CATERPILLAR

to hie Knnoß i r tuz [rpiss Sir.—Recently I read in the book, Nature in New Zealand, by Hutton and Drummond, the following interesting and to mo surprising account: "Some difficulty has been experienced in deciding whether the vegetable caterpillar ought to be classed with the insects or plants: it is a caterpillar at one time and a fungus at another time. When in the caterpillar stage, it goes down into the earth with the intention of turning into a chrysalis. There a fungus, taking possession of it. fills its body in every part, from the head to the claws, with vegetable matter: and the insect, though maintaining its original shape, is now a plant. When the fungus has completed its task of eating up the caterpillar, it sends a stalk up out of the ground. On this there are spore cases. Above the ground the fungus looks like n small bulrush." I should like to ask the naturalists among vour readers: (11 Has recent ! research' confirmed or otherwise ; iTectcd this description'.' >2) Is it the common lot of all vegetable caterpillar---' <3» How dues the caterpillar perpetuate its species?— Yours, etc., 1 AMPERSAND. April 4, 1934.