356 



Insect Architecture. 



deposited their eggs in our nurse-cages ; but, contrary to the 

 experiment just quoted, all of these were hatched during 

 the same autumn. (J. E.) The difference of temperature 

 and moisture in particular seasons may produce this 

 diversity. 



A no less remarkable winter nest, of a small species of 

 social caterpillar, is described by M. Bonnet, which we 

 omitted to introduce when treating of the Glanville fritil- 

 lary. The nest in question is literally pendulous, being hung 

 from the branch of a fruit tree by a strong silken thread. 

 It consists of one or two leaves neatly folded, and held 

 together with silk, in which the caterpillars live harmo- 

 niously together. 



Pendulous leaf-nests, from Bonnet. 



In a recently-published volume of * Travels in Mexico,' 

 we find a very remarkable account of some pendulous nests 

 of caterpillars, which appear to be almost as curious as the 

 nests of the pasteboard-making wasps, described at p. 177. 

 The author of these Travels does not define the species of 

 caterpillar whose constructions attracted his observation. 

 He says, "After having ascended for about an hour, we 

 came to the region of oaks and other majestically tall trees, 

 the names of which I could not learn. Suspended from 

 their stately branches were innumerable nests, enclosed, 

 apparently, in white paper bags, in the manner of bunches 

 of grapes in England, to preserve them from birds and flies. 



