HABITS AND INSTINCTS OP ANIMALS. CHAP. X. 



eludes the majority of bees : the two latter, from living 

 in society during all their life, are pre-eminently social. 

 (305.) 1. That the caterpillars of several butterflies 

 and moths live in large societies, under shelter of a 

 common habitation, fabricated by their united skill, 

 has been already intimated. It is by these temporary 

 associations, complete in their nature, so long as they 

 continue, that Nature marks the transition from im- 

 perfect to perfect societies. To preserve this series, we 

 shall now place the remainder of these tent-spinning 

 caterpillars in the present section. The gold-tailed 

 bombyx moth, mentioned by Reaumer, is of this de- 

 scription ; and they belong to a family, the females of 

 which always envelop their eggs in hair plucked from 

 their own body. As soon as one of these young cater- 

 pillars is disclosed from the egg, it begins to feed ; an- 

 other quickly joins it, placing itself by its side. Thus 

 they proceed in succession, till a file is formed across 

 the leaf. A second is then begun ; and after this is 

 completed, a third : and so they proceed until the whole 

 upper surface of the leaf is covered. But as a single 

 leaf will not contain the whole family, the remainder 

 take their station upon the adjoining ones. No sooner 

 have they satisfied the cravings of hunger, than they 

 begin to think of erecting a common habitation, which, 

 at first, is only a vaulted web, that covers the leaf they 

 inhabit ; but, by their united labours, in due time 

 grows into a magnificent tent of silk, containing various 

 apartments, sufficient to defend and shelter them all 

 from the attack of enemies and the inclemency of the 

 seasons. As our caterpillars, like eastern monarchs, 

 are too delicate to adventure their feet upon the rough 

 bark of the tree upon which they feed, they lay a silken 

 carpet over every road and pathway leading to their 

 palace, and this extends as far as they have occasion 

 to go for food. To the habitation just described they 

 retreat during heavy rains, and when the sun is too 

 hot : they likewise pass part of the night in them ; and, 

 indeed, at all times, some may be usually found as 



