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CHAPTER IX. 



Insects forming Habitations of detached Leaves. 



The habitations of the insects which we have jnst described 

 consist of growing leaves, bent, rolled, or pressed together, 

 and fixed in their positions by silken threads. But there 

 are other habitations of a similar kind which are con- 

 structed by cutting out and detaching a whole leaf, or a 

 portion of a leaf. We have already seen how dexterously 

 the upholsterer-bees cut out small parts of leaves and petals 

 with their mandibles, and fit them into their cells. Some 

 of the caterpillars do not exhibit quite so much neatness 

 and elegance as the leaf-cu»tting bees, though their struc- 

 tures answer all the purposes intended; but there are 

 others, as we shall presently see, that far excel the bees, 

 at least in the delicate minutiae of their workmanship. 

 We shall first advert to those structures which are the most 

 simple. 



Not far from Longchamps, in a road through the Bois de 

 Boulogne, is a large marsh, which M. Eeaumur never 

 observed to be in a dry state even during summer. This 

 marsh is surrounded with very lofty oaks, and abounds 

 with pondweed, the water-plant named by botanists pota- 

 mogeton. The shining leaves of this plant, which are as 

 large as those of the laurel or orange-tree, but thicker and 

 more fleshy, are spread upon the surface of the water. 

 Having pulled up several of these about the middle of 

 June, M. Reaumur observed, beneath one of the first which 

 he examined, an elevation of an oval shape, which was 

 formed out of a leaf of the same plant. He carefully 

 examined it, and discovered that threads of silk were 

 attached to this elevation. Breaking the threads, he raised 

 up one of the ends, and saw a cavity, in which a caterpillar 



