HABITATIONS OF INSECTS. 459 



sures us, that these are as complex and difficult to imi- 

 tate as the contours of the pieces of cloth that compose 

 the back of a coat. Some of this tribe, whose proceed- 

 ings I had the pleasure of witnessing a short time since 

 upon the alders in the Hull Botanic Garden, more in- 

 genious than their brethren, and willing to save the la- 

 bour of sewing up two seams in their dwelling, insinuate 

 themselves near the edge of a leaf instead of in its mid- 

 dle. Here they form their excavation, mining into the 

 very crenatures between the two surfaces of the leaf, 

 which, being joined together at the edge, there form one 

 seam of the case, and from their dentated figure give 

 it a very singular appearance, not unlike that of some 

 fishes which have fins upon their backs. The opposite 

 side they are necessarily forced to cut and sew up, but 

 even in this operation they show an ingenuity and con- 

 trivance worthy of admiration. The Tineas, which cut 

 out their suit from the middle of the leaf, wholly detach 

 the two surfaces that compose it before they proceed to 

 join them together, the serrated incisions made by their 

 teeth, which, if they do not cut as fast, in this respect 

 are more effective than any scissors, interlacing- each 

 other so as to support the separated portions until they 

 are properly joined. But it is obvious that this process 

 cannot be followed by those Tineae which cut out their 

 liouse from the edge of a leaf. If these were to detach 

 the inner side before they had joined the two pieces 

 together, the builder as well as his dwelling- would in- 

 evitably fall. They therefore, before making any in^ 

 cision, prudently run (as a sempstress would call it) 

 loosely together in distant points the two membranes 

 on that side. Then putting out their heads they cut the 



