76 ON THE HABITATIONS AND 



and keep in that roll, until it is secured by the silken 

 filaments which completes its binding. The following' 

 is the mode in which it is constructed : The little 

 architect commences his operations by first attaching 

 a series of silken filaments from one edge of the leaf 

 to the other. These threads are pulled by the feet 

 of the caterpillar till the sides come in contact, 

 when he binds them firmly by shorter threads. It 

 not unfrequently happens, that the stronger nerves 

 of the leaves resist the efforts of the tiny architect, 

 in which case he proceeds to gnaw them at intervals, 

 till they are so weakened, as to be bent with perfect 

 ease. If this is only instinct, it makes the nearest 

 possible approach to reason ; for man himself, in his 

 untutored state, could not act with more wisdom. 

 A very different procedure is necessary where a 

 conical, or horn shaped, receptacle is wished, which 

 is not framed with a whole leaf, but with a long 

 triangular portion, cut out of its edge. The cater- 

 pillar, in this case, fixes himself on the upper surface 

 of the leaf, and cuts, in a regular and systematic 

 style, with his jaws, the piece necessary for his 

 purpose, without, however, entirely dividing it from 

 the other portion of the leaf, which naturally forms 

 the base of his superstructure. This triangular fillet 

 he winds round as he proceeds ; and, as it generally 

 stands in a perpendicular position, it is necessary, by 

 some mechanical contrivance, to elevate it. To 

 obtain this end, he puts in operation the same sort 

 of contrivance as man would employ with an inclined 

 obelisk, by attaching to the point of the pyramid 

 2 



