140 TRANSFORMATIONS OF INSECTS. 



more lasting domicile. It then fixes a portion of a leaf in 

 contact with the lower surface of some floating leaf, and remains 

 inside this retreat for several days at a time. The larva often 

 walks over the surface of the water weeds, and manages to supply 

 its leafy house with fresh air. When the larva has attained its 

 full growth, and is about to undergo the metamorphosis into the 

 chrysalis, it closes its leafy retreat perfectly, having attached it 

 first of all either to plants or stones close by its ordinary dwelling- 

 place. 



The small China Mark's caterpillar is long and has a very 

 pale-coloured head. It lives underneath the leaves of duck weed, 

 in the water, and protects itself in a cylindrical silk case covered 

 with leaves. The chrysalis is found in this case, so that meta- 

 morphosis takes place in it. The moths differ very much, the 

 male having its fore wings white, with a blackish central spot, 

 and the hind wings white, with some irregular markings, and the 

 female has pale brownish fore wings and clouded grey hind wings. 



The caterpillars of some Galleridce lead a very singular life. 

 They are dull, whitish looking things, with dark spots and 

 bristles. They make their way into bee hives and the nests of 

 wild bees, but instead of eating the honey they devour the 

 wax. They move through the honeycomb in galleries, which 

 they line with silk, destroy many young bees by pressure, 

 and undergo their metamorphosis in a white cocoon. The per- 

 fect insects appear in the summer months, hide by day, and 

 endeavour to enter the hives by night, and finally lay eggs in 

 the honeycomb. We have already noticed that the death's head 

 moth enters hives and makes free with the honey, so that this 

 caterpillar has Lepidopterous companions and fellow thieves. 



Curtis states that Ilythia colonella inhabits the nests of Humble 

 Bees, the caterpillars living directly upon the young bees. 



The Tortricina, as their name implies, are those moths whose 

 caterpillars twist and fold up the margins of leaves so as to form 

 shelters. Several species, however, do not fold up the leaves, 

 but unite many of them together in bunches by means of silken 

 threads ; and there are some kinds that live inside seeds and 

 buds, or in the roots and stems of plants. All these cater- 

 pillars have very much the same general appearance, although 



