XVI CONTKNTS. 



49. A NEir GALLERY OF PRACTICAL SCIENCE. 



Oil the caual iii front are several insects and objects of insect fabrication, 

 such as might have been suggestive to man of the Art of Navigation. 

 Nearest, on the right, rowing itself down the current, is a Boat-fly ; on 

 a line with it, to the left, the egg-boat of a common Gnat ; and betwixt 

 them, the raft of a raft-making Spider, bearing its constructor. Closer 

 to the rail appears the diving-bell of the Diving Water-Spider. Tin- 

 case at the back is occupied by various specimens of insect skill, and ,-t 

 tV\v of (lie tools employed in their construction. On the lowest slid!', 

 to the right, is tl < of tin Mason Bee, with its hole of entrance ; 



cells, tin- work of a similar insect, appearing in the mortar of two de- 

 tached pieces of wall placed behind it. Next to these, in the compart- 

 ment adjoining, is a fragment of sand-stone, in which arc several nr 

 of Mason Wasps, with the leaning or curved tower- raised over them in 

 process of excavation. Beside tin -' . (a a piece of wood tunnelled, for 

 her iinr-erie-, by a Violet Carpenter Hie. each divided into cells by 

 partitions of cemented sawdust, and stored with heaps of pollen. Tin 

 perforations in the wood an' openings to passage- which communicate 

 \\ith the cells. Ne\t in order, is another specimen of the same; and 

 nearer to the left is tie.- nest of another rpcnter, also tunnelled in 



a piece of wood, but divided by partitions of clay, instead of sawdust. 

 The first object to the right, on the shelf above, is the cell, as con- 

 structed in earth, of an Karth-Ma-on Caterpillar. It is open, to show 

 the interior, which is smooth, and lined with silk for the comfort of the 

 chrysalis which lies within. Next, on a piece of wood, and composed 

 of detached fragments of the same material, is the cocoon or cell of a 

 caterpillar of the Puss Moth. The next is that of a Goat Moth the 

 winter abode of its long-lived larva in the heart of a tree ; a portion of 

 the wood wherein it is imbedded, being cut away, shows its fabric, a 

 cloth-like substance of mingled silk and raspings of wood. On the 

 upper shelf of all are three tools, used by insect artificers. To the left 

 are the powerful toothed jaws, constituting chisel, plane, and forceps 

 of a Mason Wasp. Next, in the centre, is the compound tool, con- 

 sisting of an auger and a pair of fdes, used by the Tree-hopper, to 

 make grooves in branches for reception of her eggs ; and to the right, is 

 a portion of the saw used by Saw-flies for a similar purpose . . . 



