220 INSECT ARCHITECTURE. 



the long hairs which surrounded it, as we are by 

 walking amongst high grass," nor ^^ accordingly, 

 marching scythe in hand," did it, " with its teeth, cut 

 out a smooth road."* On the contrary, it did not 

 cut a single hair, till it selected one for the founda- 

 tion of its intended structure. This it cut very near 

 the cloth, in order, we suppose, to have it as long as 

 possible; and placed it on a line with its body. It 

 then immediately cut another, and placing it parallel 

 to the first, bound both together with a few threads of 

 its own silk. The same process was repeated with 

 other hairs, till the little creature had made a fabric of 

 some thickness, and this it went on to extend till it 

 was large enough to cover its body; which (as is 

 usual with caterpillars) it employed as a model and 

 measure for regulating its operations. We remarked 

 that it made choice of longer hairs for the outside 

 than for the parts of the interior, which it thought 

 necessary to strengthen by fresh additions; but the 

 chamber was ultimately finished by a fine and closely- 

 woven tapestry of silk. We could see the progress of 

 its work, by looking into the opening at either of the 

 ends; for at this stage of the structure the walls are 

 quite opaque, and the insect concealed. It may be 

 thus observed to turn round, by doubling itself and 

 bringing its head where the tail had just been; of 

 course, the interior is left wide enough for this pur- 

 pose, and the centre, indeed, where it turns, is always 

 wider than the extremities. | 



When the caterpillar increases in length, it takes 

 care to add to the length of its house, by working-in 

 fresh hairs at either end; and if it be shifted to stuffs 

 of different colours, it may be made to construct a 

 party-coloured tissue, like a Scotch plaid. Reaumur 

 cut off* with scissors a portion at each end, to compel 



* Bonnet, xi. p. 204, Kirby and Spence, Intro, i. 46i. 5th ed. 

 t J. R. 



