242 NETTLE AND THISTLE-ROLLERS. 



repeatedly seen one of them, when just escaped from the egg, 

 fix several silk threads from one edge of a leaf to the other, or 

 from the edge to the mid-rib ; then, going to the middle of the 

 space, he shortened the threads by bending them with his feet, 

 and consequently pulling the edges of the leaves into a cir- 

 cular form, he retained them in that position by gluing down 

 each thread as he shortened it."* Certain leaves are some- 

 what doggedly disposed to follow their own bent, in prefer- 

 ence to that which their insect fashioners attempt to give 

 them ; and in some of these cases the rolling artificers, after 

 having done their utmost to bring them together by pulling 

 the reluctant edges of their stubborn material, fill up, by spin- 

 ning, the open space between them. 



Such is the proceeding of a very common caterpillar of a 

 greenish colour spotted with black, which commences opera- 

 tions in early spring, upon the nettle. ; f The leaves of the 

 same plant are often, in July and August, found folded, edge 

 to edge ; but the constructor and occupant of the verdant cell 

 thus formed, is no moth operative but the caterpillar of 

 the "Admirable" or "Alderman Butterfly." That of the 

 "Painted Lady" is also a leaf-roller; and the rigid material 

 which it contrives to bend to its purpose is usually a leaf of 

 thistle. 



The leaf-rollers above-mentioned are only a few of those 



* Insect Architecture, p. 160. 



t See for this caterpillar's mode of weaving, 'Insect Architecture,' p. 164- 



