LEAF-TASSELS. 245 



those of the oak, were severed, only more smoothly, across 

 their centres, the main stalk alone being left undivided ; but 

 the terminating halves, employed by the little artificers of the 

 oak to form their barrel-buttons, were, in this instance, simply 

 rolled or twisted into a spiral form, so as to have the ap- 

 pearance, in their suspension by the mid-rib, of an ear-drop, or 

 a pendant tassel, the serrated edge of the hazel-leaf adding to 

 the elegance of their appearance*. "Whether these pretty leaf 

 pendants are the work of a caterpillar or some other insect is 

 at present unknown to us ; for at the time they first attracted 

 our observation we could discover no living tenant within 

 them, and in this June of the present year (] 847) we have 

 been equally unsuccessful. In both cases our observations 

 were probably over late, the twisted portion of the leaves having 

 already turned brown, in evidence that they had been for at 

 least some days nearly severed from their living counterparts.t 

 With one more specimen of the skill of Leaf-rollers we must 

 close our brief notice of their ingenious labours. On a cabbage 

 rose-bush, at Hornsey, we observed, in June of last summer, a 

 case of horn-like shape, wide and open at top, and pointed at 

 bottom, formed out of a leaf of the same shrub, twisted spirally, 

 and suspended by silken strings to the main stalk of a group 

 of young leaflets. One of the latter, nearest to the mouth of 

 the pendant horn, displayed recent marks of excising jaws ; 

 and presently, protruding from the open end of this curious 



* Vignette. 



f The artificers above referred to we have discovered since to be the caterpillars 

 of a prettily variegated green moth. 



