in HERMIT HOMES 103 



sewing the two sides together with silk. While the 

 anterior orifice is circular, the posterior end is often 

 diamond-shaped. Some Tinea, more saving of labour, 

 make the tubes at the very edge of the leaf which 

 acts in place of a seam. The owner does not repair 

 or enlarge an old abode of the kind, but having 

 eaten the best part of it, the larva abandons it and 

 builds anew. 



Other species of Tineina make homes at our ex- 

 pense out of bits of wool, hair, silk, or fur, from our 

 dress and household stuffs, which they delight to 

 gnaw. The tube of Tinea tapetzella is almost cylin- 

 drical, and though rough exteriorly, is daintily lined 

 with silk spun from the artificer's own mouth. 

 When about to turn to pupa the larva closes one 

 end of the house and suspends it bottom downwards. 

 Before transformation it faces round inside the case, 

 directing its head towards the end unattached. This 

 larva forms only one home, which is altered from time 

 to time as it becomes too small by additions of 

 threads to either extremity. Should the width need 

 enlargement, the occupant cleverly inserts new ma- 

 terial into apertures made lengthways for the purpose. 

 In colour the case always corresponds with that of 

 the substance from which it is taken, and quite a 

 motley appearance may be given it if stuffs of various 

 hues are placed in the way of the little manufacturer. 



These dwellings are surpassed by the building per- 

 formances of larvae of a genus of the family Psychidae, 

 common to America, Australia, and Europe (sec 

 Fig. n). Of all the species, the House Builder 

 {Oiketicus Sandersii) is perhaps the most remarkable. 



