140 TRANSFORMATIONS OF INSECTS. 
more lasting domicile. It then fixes a portion of a leaf in 
contact with the lower surface of some floating leaf, and remains 
inside this retreat for several days at a time. The larva often 
walks over the surface of the water weeds, and manages to supply 
its leafy house with fresh air. When the larva has attained its 
full growth, and is about to undergo the metamorphosis into the 
chrysalis, it closes its leafy retreat perfectly, having attached it 
first of all either to plants or stones close by its ordinary dwelling- 
place. 
The small China Mark’s caterpillar is long and has a very 
pale-coloured head. It lives underneath the leaves of duck weed, 
in the water, and protects itself in a cylindrical silk case covered 
with leaves. The chrysalis is found in this case, so that meta- 
morphosis takes place in it. The moths differ very much, the 
male having its fore wings white, with a blackish central spot, 
and the hind wings white, with some irregular markings, and the 
female has pale brownish fore wings and clouded grey hind wings. 
The caterpillars of some Galleridce lead a very singular life. 
They are dull, whitish looking things, with dark spots and 
bristles. They make their way into bee hives and the nests of 
wild bees, but instead of eating the honey they devour the 
wax. They move through the honeycomb in galleries, which 
they line with silk, destroy many young bees by pressure, 
and undergo their metamorphosis in a white cocoon. The per- 
fect insects appear in the summer months, hide by day, and 
endeavour to enter the hives by night, and finally lay eggs in 
the honeycomb. We have already noticed that the death’s head 
moth enters hives and makes free with the honey, so that this 
caterpillar has Lepidoplerous companions and fellow thieves. 
Curtis states that Ilythia colonella inhabits the nests of Humble 
Bees, the caterpillars living directly upon the young bees. 
The Tortricina , as their name implies, are those moths whose 
caterpillars twist and fold up the margins of leaves so as to form 
shelters. Several species, however, do not fold up the leaves, 
but unite many of them together in bunches by means of silken 
threads ; and there are some kinds that live inside seeds and 
buds, or in the roots and stems of plants. Ail these cater- 
pillars have very much the same general appearance, although 
