BOTYS PANDALIS. 115 



indeed, the leaves of Clinopodium, Origanum, and 

 Solidago, from which they constructed tbem, were not 

 of a nature to last long in a good condition ; it there- 

 fore seemed probable that in complete liberty the 

 larvoe would use any more suitable leaves for case- 

 making they might happen to find ; and to test this 

 idea I introduced some leaves of beech with their food, 

 and they were not slow to appreciate this better ma- 

 terial, as one larva after another constructed a new 

 residence, and before long they were all occupying 

 cases cut from beech. 



On one occasion I chanced to surprise a larva three 

 parts grown, lying along the midrib on the upper 

 surface of a beech leaf, engaged in spinning a great 

 number of silk threads, close together and parallel, 

 from one side to the other, as a foundation for a new 

 case, — I had only just observed this, and that the 

 sides of the leaves were drawing upwards, when I was 

 called away for a little while, — and on my return 

 fouud a large oval piece of the leaf the size of a 

 pigeon's egg had been neatly cut out and drawn 

 closely together at the edges into a well-fashioned 

 elongate, plump, pasty-like case, having a circular hole 

 of egress at both ends ; all the cases were of similar 

 form, and varied but little in size after the last were 

 made, nearly an inch long by almost three-eighths 

 across the broad middle. 



Latterly indications appeared of some of the larvae 

 being nearly or quite full-fed, as I found some cases 

 attached by silk threads to the marjoram and basil, 

 when I added a few leaves of Teucrium scorodonia, 

 and this the few still feeding appeared to relish so 

 much as to care but little for their previous diet. All 

 but one were full-fed by the 9th of September, and 

 that last one on the 19th ; they had moored their cases 

 destined for puparia to some of the neighbouring 

 leaves with threads of brownish silk, and one hole of 

 each case had disappeared by the edges being drawn 

 closely together, the other hole being evenly plugged 



