256 NATURAL HISTORY. [CH. XV. 



mantle being thus prepared and cut, the next opera- 

 tion was to sew the two pieces together. 



The seams are not completed at once : the insect 

 places itself between the two pieces while they are 

 flat ; it then brings them together at certain points, 

 with intervals of considerable extent still open, 

 while it twists and turns about its body in all direc- 

 tions ; by this means the plane surfaces of the two 

 pieces become gradually moulded into a concave 

 form, suited to the body of the insect. Having thus, 

 like a prudent and judicious tailor, ascertained that 

 the mantle will fit in every part, it brings the edges 

 of the pieces close together throughout their whole 

 length, and sews them so neatly and firmly, that 

 although the place and direction of the seam be well 

 known, it is extremely difficult, even with the aid of 

 a lens, to detect it in the finished mantle. 



But the little animal is not content with an out- 

 ward covering, formed solely of the membranes of 

 a leaf; this would not probably be found either soft 

 enough or warm enough for its purpose : all inequali- 

 ties which might injure its tender skin are care- 

 fully removed from every part of the interior, and 

 the whole is doubled and lined throughout with a 

 coating of silk ; the lining being rendered thicker in 

 those parts which, from being prominent, are pecu- 

 liarly exposed to friction. Reaumur found that the 

 insect whose coat he abstracted completed another 

 in the short space of twelve hours. 



The finishing hand having been thus put to the 

 mantle, another operation now remains to be exe- 

 cuted. It is necessary that it should be detached 

 altogether from the leaf, in which, as well as from 

 which, it has been fabricated ; to effect this requires 

 strength rather than skill : accordingly, the insect 

 crawls partially out of its case, pushes its head for- 

 ward, as nearly as can be, in a straight line, fastens 

 its fore-legs upon the leaf, and laying hold of the 



