306 



HALF HOURS WITH IXSECTS. [Packard. 



allows the insects to escape into the open air." These galls 

 can scarcely be regarded as evidences of architectural skill, 

 as they are indirectly due to the simple punctures of the 

 beak of the insect, not to an intellectual act. 



Among the beetles we shall not find evidence of any con- 

 siderable skill in building. Tlie habit of the Chlamys of 

 building a compact little case has already been referred to. 

 Its case is black, and appears to be formed of little pellets 

 of excrement, with a seam along the middle of the under 



Fig. 236. 



Sumac grail. 



side, which readily spreads open when the sac is pressed. 

 The case is slightly contracted at the entrance, where the 

 pellets are a little larger than elsewhere. 



The weevils are the lowest of the beetles, and yet they 

 display in some cases great ingenuity in providing appropri- 

 ate places in which to lay their eggs. I have often watched 

 the doings of the Attelahus rhois (Fig. 238 represents an- 

 other species, A. analis) while rolling up the leaves of the 

 alder. Late in June and during the early part of July in 



18 



