ARCHITECTURE OF MOTHS. 



79 



inches in length, and upwards of half an inch in 

 breadth, exclusive of its limbs. 



When the cold weather sets in, it excavates an 

 ample hollow in the tree, sufficiently large to contain 

 its body coiled up. Professor Rennie mentions 

 having found one, in 1827, in its winter nest, which 

 was enveloped in " a fabric as thick as coarse broad- 

 cloth, and equally \varm, composed of the raspings 

 of wood scooped out of the cell, united with strong- 

 silk." * The following is a figure of one of these in 

 its winter nest : 



Some other of the Tinea display still greater 

 sagacity, in constructing habitations for themselves ; 

 those which feed upon the leaves of the oak, elm, 

 apple, and rose trees, on the under sides of which 

 they may be frequently found during summer, parti- 

 cularly exemplifying this. They eat the parenchyma 

 between the membranes, composing the upper and 

 under cuticles of the leaves. These nests are of an 

 oblong shape, and so artfully joined with silk threads, 



* Insect Architecture, p. 190. 



