360 
STRANGE DWELLINGS. 
CHAPTER XXX. 
BRANCH-BUILDERS. 
SPIDERS AND INSECTS. 
Remarkable Spider Nests in the British Museum — Seed-nests and Leaf-nests — 
Nest of the Icaria — The equal pressure and excavation theories — Nest of 
Mischocyttarus and its remarkable form — Nest of the Raphigaster — 
Summary of the Argument — The Processionary Moth— Reasons for its 
name — How the larvae march — Damage done by them to trees — The social 
principle among Caterpillars — Mr. Rennie’s experiments — The Lackey 
Moth — Supposed derivations of its popular name — The eggs, larvae, and 
perfect insects — Habits of the Moth — The Brown-tailed Moth — Locality 
where it is found — Its ravages abroad — The Apoica and its remarkable nests 
— Moth Nests from Monte Video. 
We have already seen several nests built by Spiders, some of 
which are made in the earth, others are strictly pensile, and 
others may fairly come into the present group. The specimens 
from which the drawings were made are in the collection of the 
British Museum, some in the upper and others in the lower 
rooms. Of the architects, the manner in which the nests were 
made, and the reasons why they were so singularly constructed, 
I can say nothing, because no record is attached to the speci- 
mens. Still, they are so curious that they have found a place 
in this work, and it is to be hoped that the very fact of their 
publicity will induce travellers to search for more specimens 
and to describe their history. 
Differing as they do in shape, colour, and material, they have 
one object in common, namely, the rearing of the young. They 
are clearly nests in the true sense of the word, being devoted 
not to the parents, but to the offspring. At the upper part of 
the illustration may be seen a number of long, spindle-shaped 
bodies, suspended from a branch. These are drawn about half 
