THE TORTRICINA. 327 



neighbourhood of woods at the end of May and be- 

 ginning of June. It measures about five-sixths of an 

 inch across the wings, which are of a purplish-red 

 colour adorned with golden spots and lines. 



In the preceding tribe we have seen that several 

 species exhibit a most praiseworthy solicitude for their 

 own security, either whilst still in the larva state or 

 during the period of their helpless pupal existence, 

 but in the group which must now engage our atten- 

 tion nearly all the caterpillars take some precaution 

 to ensure their safety from the attacks of their ene- 

 mies, and some of them show great ingenuity in 

 adapting the leaves of the trees and plants on which 

 they reside to this purpose. 



One of the best examples of these contrivances is 

 to be met with during the spring and early summer 

 on almost every oak-tree. On examining one of 

 these trees with care at this season, it is impossible not 

 to observe that many of the leaves are rolled up in a 

 singular manner, and on opening one of these rolled 

 leaves it will be found to form a cylindrical chamber, 

 in the interior of which a small green caterpillar 

 has taken up his abode, a habitation which cer- 

 tainly has the advantage over the best of human 

 contrivances, that it furnishes its tenant at once with 

 food and shelter. The whole labour of rolling up 

 the leaves is performed by the caterpillar itself: 

 it attaches a few silken ropes to the edge of the 

 leaf either at the end or at one side, by repeatedly 

 pulling upon these and fastening them, it gradually 

 curves the edge down, and then, by the agency 

 of a fresh set of ropes, continues the rolling until 



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