CH. XVI.] THE CATERPILLAR. 267 



They eat only the upper membrane of the leaf; 

 leaving- the larger nervures and the under skin un- 

 touched. The parts which they do not consume, 

 are wanted in order to construct a habitation to pro- 

 tect them against the inclemencies of the weather, 

 and conceal them from their natural enemies. As 

 soon as they have satisfied the calls of appetite, 

 some of the young 1 caterpillars set about tying the 

 leaf, which, having been already rendered thin and 

 supple, is easily made to assume a concave shape. 

 The threads used in joining the edges of the leaf, so 

 as to give it a cup-like shape, are so many, that they 

 form a little silken roof, under which the caterpillars 

 feed. The exposure, however, to the light and 

 heat does not seem to be agreeable to them ; they 

 therefore add to the thin silken roof threads in such 

 quantities, that a perfectly white and impervious 

 web is made. These, after all, are but temporary 

 sheds hastily formed, until the insects have had 

 time to construct a more complete and durable fa- 

 bric. After the lapse of a few days they commence 

 the erection of their new abode, which is a silken 

 tent, sufficiently capacious to contain the whole 

 community, and so closely woven, as to afford them, 

 during the whole of the winter, a complete shelter 

 both from wind and rain. They lay the foundation 

 of their new edifice, by covering 1 a shoot with silk, 

 and carefully nibbling away all the leaf-buds, so as 



