Day after day it wanders about the vivarium in company with the assassins.

The latter apparently ignore its presence.

From time to time one of them will halt, stroll round the hairy creature, examine it, and try to penetrate the tangled fleece.
Immediately repulsed by the long, dense palisade of hairs, he retires without inflicting a wound, and the caterpillar proceeds upon its way with undulating mane, in pride and security.
But this state of things cannot last.

In a hungry moment, emboldened moreover by the presence of his fellows, the cowardly creature decides upon a serious attack.

There are four of them; they industriously attack the caterpillar, which finally succumbs, assaulted before and behind.