Natural history of insects : comprising their architecture, transformations, senses, food, habits--collection, preservation and arrangement . od passes thewinter in a very closely woven nest of waim is usually represented as composed of leaveswhich have had their pulpy parts eaten as food VOL. IV. 28* 330 INSECT AUCHITECTURE. J)y the colonists; but from minute observation ofat least twenty of these nests in the winter of1828-9, we are quite satisfied that leaves are onlyan accidental, and not a necessary part of the struc-ture. When a leaf happens to be in the line of thewalls of the
Natural history of insects : comprising their architecture, transformations, senses, food, habits--collection, preservation and arrangement . od passes thewinter in a very closely woven nest of waim is usually represented as composed of leaveswhich have had their pulpy parts eaten as food VOL. IV. 28* 330 INSECT AUCHITECTURE. J)y the colonists; but from minute observation ofat least twenty of these nests in the winter of1828-9, we are quite satisfied that leaves are onlyan accidental, and not a necessary part of the struc-ture. When a leaf happens to be in the line of thewalls of the nest, it is included; but there is no appa-rent design in pressing it into the service, nor is abranch selected because it is leafy. On the con-trary, by far the greater number of these nests do notcontain a single leaf, but are composed entirely ofgrey silk. In external form, no two of these nestsare alike; as it depends entirely upon the form ofthe branch. When, therefore, there is only one twig,it is somewhat egg-shaped; but when there arcseveral twigs, it commonly joins each, assuming anangular shape, as may be seen in the WinttT nest of the Social Catcrjnllars of the Brcivr. tail Moth(Poithesia awviQw^), fig^nrcd f om specimen. SPINNING CATERPILLARS. 331 This irregularity arises from the circumstance ofeach individual acting on its own account, withoutthe direction or superintendence of the others. Theinterior of the structure is, for the same reason,more regular, being divided into compartments, eachof which forms a chamber for one or more indivi-duals. Previous to the cold weather, these cham-bers have but slight partitions; but before the frostsset in the whole is made thick and warm.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookidnaturalhistoryof01bos, booksubjectinsects
