SOLITARY NESTS. 
45 
its house looks only like a tuft of moss, growing 
a little higher than its neighbours. 
Here is another caterpillar* on the same old 
wall. It is a very common caterpillar indeed, 
but so small as to be often over-looked; and it 
builds for itself a moveable tent of a curious 
kind. It detaches from the wall first one atom 
of stone and then another, and fastens them 
together with its gummy silk, until it has raised 
itself a tent big enough to live in. The tent is 
a little the shape of a horn, and comes to a point 
at the top, where it is left open to admit the air; 
but the opening is well protected by a web, so 
that no insect can get in. The caterpillar carries 
its tent about with it on its back, as the snail 
does its shell, until it is ready to change into a 
chrysalis. Then it fastens it securely down to 
the stone, spinning a thick curtain to close up 
every aperture; and when the moth is ready to 
come out, she breaks through the top of the horn. 
Stone tents. Natural size and magnified. 
* Genus tinea. 
