EXTRAORDINARY PRECAUTION OF A LARVA. 201 



the most curious manner, a series of little upright 

 palisades of silk at a certain distance from each 

 other, all round its body, so as to form a sort of 

 oval fence, and probably the larva intends them to 

 serve as a sort of hedge to keep off intruders 

 while it is busy at work! After spinning half 

 its case, it turns . 



J 



round, and be- (J jJ J J j Jj 



site end, and thus ^4 SC? 



forms the other 



half; it then UniteS Th * Larva surrounded by its Palisade. 



it in the middle, and by so doing incloses itself 

 in a very pretty cage of silken net-work, which it 

 subsequently strengthens by adding a firm layer 

 on the inside. The time taken in the construction 

 of this ingenious cocoon is not more than half-an- 

 hour. It is quite impossible to understand how 

 the little being contrives to form the upright 

 ridges on the surface of its cocoon; and as the 

 larva is so minute it is almost hopeless to expect 

 to discover it. Attempts have been made to un- 

 ravel the difficulty, but not with complete success. 

 When, looking at some magnificent works of man, 

 we are tempted to become inflated with pride, 



