INGENUITY OP INSECTS. 73 



house, or tube, in which it lives, of most singular, and 

 curious workmanship. 



p io . 56 The body of this insect is 



composed of nine sections, the 

 sides of which are fringed 

 with cilia, or paddles. The 

 legs are six, all situated near 

 the head, as shown by Fig. 56, 

 which represents the creature naked, or without its 

 case. 



It may be observed that this worm, though it is en- 

 tirely aquatic, is still not well adapted to swimming. Its 

 six legs all close together are specifically heavier than 

 water, and its long body beset only with a few hairs, 

 would appear better fitted to crawl than to swim. But 

 apparently as a compensation for these defects, the 

 Great Author of nature has endowed it with a degree 

 of instinctive knowledge, by means of which, it is able 

 to avoid the evils which would otherwise arise from its 

 construction. 



The Caddis worm constructs for itself a tube or habi- 

 tation, by means of such materials as it can most easily 

 Fi s- 51. obtain, and which are fitted to its purpose. 

 Leaves, straws, bits of wood, and shells are 

 employed according to the taste, or conve- 

 nience of the builder. Fig. 57, shows one 

 of these cases made of a few pieces of 

 leaves, so arranged as somewhat to imitate 

 a Spanish mantle, the head and feet of the 

 insect protruding at the upper end. This, 

 like all the other forms which it constructs is lined 

 with a kind of silk on the inside, and it is by means of 

 the same substance that the different pieces of which 

 these curious habitations are made and fastened together. 

 Fig. 58. By Fig. 58 is shown the worm cov- 



ered by a couple of pieces of semi- 

 cylindrical, hollow bark, cemented 

 together. Happening to find two 

 such pieces- suitable for the purpose, 

 it has been saved the labor of joining 

 more, as most of its brethren have done. 



