IMPERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 21 



plant ; and sometimes four or five of these encamp- 

 ments may be seen within a foot or two of each other. 

 Against winter they weave and erect a stronger habi- 

 tation of a rounder form, not divided by any partitions, 

 in which they lie heaped one upon another, each being 

 rolled up. About April they separate, and continue 

 solitary till they assume the pupa. 



Reaumur, to whom I am indebted for this account, 

 has also given us an interesting history of another in- 

 sect, the gold-tail-moth before mentioned, whose cater- 

 pillars are of this description. They belong to that 

 family of Borabyces, which envelop their eggs in hair 

 plucked from their own body. As soon as one of these 

 young caterpillars is disclosed from the egg, it begins to 

 feed; another quickly joins it, placing itself by its side; 

 thus they proceed in succession till a file is formed 

 across the leaf: — a second is then begun; and after 

 this is completed, a third — and so they proceed till the 

 whole upper surface of the leaf is covered : — but as a 

 single leaf will not contain the whole family, the re- 

 mainder take their station upon the adjoining ones. No 

 sooner have they satisfied the cravings of hunger, than 

 they begin to think of erecting a common habitation, 

 which at first is only a vaulted web, that covers the 

 leaf they inliabit, but by their united labours in due 

 time grows into a magnificent tent of silk, containing 

 various apartments sufficient to defend and shelter 

 them all from the attack of enemies and the inclemency 

 of the seasons. As our caterpillars, like eastern mon- 

 archs, are too delicate to adventure their feet upon 

 the rough bark of the tree upon which they feed, they 



