ARCIIITECIUBE 01' MOTHS. 85 



They are necessarily forced to cut and sew up the 

 opposite side ; but, even in this operation, they show 

 an ingenuity and contrivance worthy of admiration." 



Those species oi Tinea; which excavate their habit- 

 ation in the middle of the leaf, separate entirely the 

 two surfaces that compose it, before they commence 

 joining them together ; and the serrated incisions 

 made by the mandibles have the tendency to sup- 

 port the opposite edges, by interlacing with each 

 other, so as to support the disjoined portions until 

 they are properly secured. Those Tinete, however, 

 which eat out their habitations from the edge of a 

 leaf, cannot proceed upon the same principles, for, 

 if they were to separate the inner side before they 

 had joined the two pieces, both the architect and his 

 building would come down. Before making the 

 incision, therefore, they baste (to adopt a phrase 

 used by tailors) together in remote points the two 

 membranes on that side. Then, by thrusting out their 

 head, they separate, with their forceps, the inter- 

 mediate portions, while they take care to avoid 

 touching the larger nerves of the leaf. When this 

 operation is gone through, they proceed to sew up 

 the detached sides in a more regular style, while 

 they only intersect the nerves, which completes 

 their ingenious task.* 



Some other caterpillars form their dwellings en- 



• Reiumir, iii. 100-] 20. 



