102 ROMANCE OF THE INSECT WORLD CHAP. 



about by the wind. By-and-by the larva touches 

 some prop or stem of the vine, when it penetrates 

 into cracks in the wood, or beneath the bark, and 

 hibernates until the late spring of the following year. 

 Climbing up a stem, it now binds the young leaves 

 and little bunches of grapes into a comfortable home, 

 subsequently eating away the inside. Some cater- 

 pillars confine their exertions to a single leaf. 

 They fold it longitudinally and fasten the edges 

 with silk ; or transversely, attaching the point to 

 the middle nervure. Some roll it longitudinally 

 others transversely, or part of it, to make a hollow 

 cylinder. So minute are many of these insects that 

 they cannot accomplish the feat by main force. Sup- 

 pose the leaf is to be wrapped transversely. Again 

 and again a series of silken cables are attached to 

 its point and upper edges, their other ends are 

 fastened to the centre. Each cable in succession 

 is pulled and tightened by the larva's feet and spin- 

 neret until the structure bends over, when it is 

 securely held in position by fresh and shorter threads. 

 In this manner the work is continued until 

 the leaf is rolled into the tubular form desired, 

 and the mechanic enters its home and feeds on 

 the soft substance in almost perfect safety. In some 

 cases the provision it obtains is ample; but should the 

 life in larval state be long it may be compelled 

 to construct other rolls, the nourishment from the 

 first roll being exhausted. 



One species of leaf-mining caterpillars (Coleo- 

 phora) as soon as they have tunnelled a cavity in 

 the leaf, cut out the mined portion to form a case, 



