DWELLINGS OF LARV^. 191 



their habitations, holes solely destined for a like 

 purpose, as do also badgers." 



A singular variety of larva-nest is mentioned 

 by a Mexican traveller. He says, " After having 

 ascended for about an hour, we came to the region 

 of oaks, and other majestically tall trees, the names 

 of which I could not learn. Suspended from their 

 stately branches were innumerable nests, enclosed, 

 apparently, in white paper bags, in the manner of 

 bunches of grapes in England, to preserve them 

 from birds and flies. I had the curiosity to 

 examine one of them, which I found to contain 

 numberless caterpillars. The texture is so strong 

 that it is not easily torn ; and the interior con- 

 tained a quantity of green leaves to support the 

 numerous progeny within." 



The larvae of some Australian insects form the 

 most curious nests we have ever beheld. A 

 representation, taken from specimens in the ento- 

 mological collection at the British Museum, will 

 show what extraordinary structures these are. 

 They appear like minute bundles of faggots, and 

 have been formed by the insect cutting short pieces 

 of twigs, all nearly of the same size, and then 

 cementing them together in the manner repre- 



