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CHAPTER IX. 



INSECTS FORMING HABITATIONS OF DETACHED LEAVES. 



E habitations of the insects which we have just described 

 consist of growing leaves, bent, rolled, or pressed to- 

 gether, and fixed in their positions by silken threads. But 

 there are other habitations of a similar kind, which are con- 

 structed by cutting out and detaching a whole leaf, or a portion 

 of a leaf. We have already seen how dexterously the uphol- 

 sterer-bees cut out small parts of leaves and petals with their 

 mandibles, and fit them into their cells. Some of the cater- 

 pillars do not exhibit quite so much neatness and elegance 

 as the leaf-cutting bees, though their structures answer all 

 the purposes intended; but there are others, as we shall 

 presently see, that far excel the bees, at least in the delicate 

 minutiae of their workmanship. We shall first advert to 

 those structures which are the most simple. 



Not far from Longchamps, in a road through the Bois 

 cle Boulogne, is a large marsh, which M. Reaumur never 

 observed to be in a dry state even during summer. This 

 marsh is surrounded with very lofty oaks, and abounds with 

 pondweed, the water-plant named by botanists potamogeton. 

 The shining leaves of this plant, which are as large as those 

 of the laurel or orange-tree, but thicker and more fleshy, 

 are spread upon the surface of the water. Having pulled up 

 several of these about the middle of June, M. Reaumur 

 observed, beneath one of the first which he examined, an 

 elevation of an oval shape, which was formed out of a leaf of 

 the same plant. He carefully examined it, and discovered 

 that threads of silk were attached to this elevation. Break- 

 ing the threads, he raised up one of the ends, and saw a cavity, 

 in which a caterpillar (Hydrocampa potamogcta) was lodged. 



