The Processionary : the Nest 



edifice, to give it deeper foundations and to 

 join it by a multitude of cables to the steady 

 branch. 



The whole thing thus consists, above, of 

 the home distended into an ovoid and, below, 

 of the stalk, the sheath surrounding the sup- 

 port and adding its resistance to that of the 

 numerous other fastenings. 



Each nest that has not yet had its shape 

 altered by the prolonged residence of the 

 caterpillars shows in the centre a bulky, milk- 

 white shell, with around it a wrapper of dia- 

 phanous gauze. The central mass, formed 

 of thickly-woven threads, has for a wall a 

 thick quilt into which are absorbed, as sup- 

 ports, numbers of leaves, green and intact. 

 The thickness of this wall may be anything 

 up to three-quarters of an inch. 



At the top of the dome are round openings, 

 varying greatly in number and distribution, as 

 wide across as an ordinary lead-pencil. These 

 are the doors of the house, through which the 

 caterpillars go in and out. All around the 

 shell are projecting leaves, which the insects' 

 teeth have respected. From the tip of each 

 leaf there radiate, in graceful, undulating 

 curves, threads which, loosely interlaced, form 

 29 



