March 30 Cocoons, March 31, April 2 Dreams, April 3 Ice Fishing, April 4 Returns, April 8, April 11, April 20 Summary and Analysis

In "March 30 Cocoons", the author finds an old cocoon from a moth. He dissects it and discovers a great deal about the moth's development in the cocoon and his escape. The author then returns to the woods to looks for other cocoons and finds six, where all of the moths had died. They had been invaded by parasites like wasps who lay their eggs and then eat the moth pupa.

The author describes the awakening life in "March 31". The snow has begun to melt and water is flowing again in the brook down the hill. The author sees the white ground studded with tiny seeds, which depend on luck and ideal conditions to make it from a...