112 HABITS. 



But perhaps the most interesting nest of all is 

 that made by the caterpillar of the Viceroy [Fig. 

 98]. This caterpillar hibernates when partly 

 grown, and provides for the occasion a winter resi- 

 dence, which is occupied only during the cold 

 season. For this purpose it eats the sides of a 

 willow-leaf nearly to the midrib, for about one 

 third the distance from the tip, ordinarily select- 

 ing for the purpose a leaf near the end of a twig ; 

 the opposite edges of the rest of this leaf it brings 

 together, and not only fastens them firmly with 



FIG. 98. a, leaf of willow as cut by the caterpillar of Basilarchia Archippus 

 for its hibemaculum ; &, the hibernaculum formed ; nat. size (Riley). 



silk, but covers this nest outside and inside with 

 a carpet of light-brown glossy silk, so that the leaf 

 is nearly hidden ; nor is this all ; it travels back 

 and forth on the leaf -stalk and around the twig, 

 spinning its silk as it goes, until the leaf is firmly 

 attached to the stalk, and in spite of frost and 

 wind will easily hang until spring. Following 

 the projecting midrib, the caterpillar creeps into 

 this dark cell head foremost and closes the open- 

 ing with its hinder segments, all abristle with 

 spines and warts. The other species of the same 

 genus, the Red-spotted and the Banded Purple, 



