520 INSECTS AT HOME. 



both strong and elastic, and by their elasticity the tip of the 

 leaf is partially curled over. The caterpillar then pulls at the 

 threads, tightens those that are in the least loose, and so 

 proceeds until the leaf will bend no more. It then goes back 

 to the tip, which is now bent over, fastens another row of 

 threads about the eighth of an inch beyond the first set, and 

 fixes them in the same manner as before. The leaf being now 

 much more bent, the first threads hang loosely, and are again 

 shortened, tightened, and fastened down. In this way the 

 caterpillar proceeds until it makes the leaf into a hollow roll, 

 in which it may live. When one of these leaf-rolls is newly 

 finished, the extreme elasticity of the threads can easily be 

 tested, for the roll can be partly opened, when the threads will 

 allow themselves to be considerably stretched, and as soon as 

 the force is removed will spring back again to their former 

 length. Eow after row of these threads may be seen, all set in 

 regular order, and looking almost like strips of the finest white 

 silk. 



On Woodcut LX. Fig. 2 is shown a magnified portrait of 

 a most beautiful little Moth named Coleophora ibipennella. 

 This insect, though apparently larger than those on Plate XVII. 

 Fig. 7, is really much about the same size, the long fringes of 

 the wings making them look larger than they really are. As 

 the reader may see by reference to the illustration, the actual 

 wings are very small, very narrow, and very pointed, their 

 apparent width being entirely due to the fringe. The colour 

 of the upper wings is satiny-white, the few nervures are slightly 

 yellow, and there is a tendency to brown towards the tips. 

 The under surface of these wings is grey, with a tinge of 

 reddish-brown. The under wings are dark grey. The head 

 and thorax are white, and the abdomen is gv^y with a white 

 tuft at the end of the tail. 



The scientific name of this little Moth has alrea«v; been 

 given. Hitherto it has not been recognised by any popular 

 name, so I will call it the Flakelet, in allusion to its resem- 

 blance to a little snow-flake. 



The caterpillar is a pretty little creature. Its body is a sort 

 of dull amber-yellow, and its head is black. The second 

 segment has a large double black mark on the back, the third 



