80 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[Apkil ], 18GG. 



blanket, a small saucer of water for drinking, and 

 some moss. Their box should be put in the sun 

 when practicable. 



As their movements are excessively graceful, and 

 as they soon become tame enough to feed from the 

 hand, they are most interestiug little creatures to 

 keep ; and all lovers of nature who will try the 

 experiment, will find that a reptile can be not only 

 not repulsive, but even an elegant, pretty, and 

 amusing pet. W. R. Tate. 



INSECT VIVARIUM. 



'Twas the Creator, 

 He sought in every volume open to Him, 

 From the small leaf that holds an insect's weh, 

 From which e'er long a colony shall issue, 

 With limbs and wings as perfect as"an eagle's, 

 To the stupendous ocean, that gives birth 

 And nourishment to everlasting millions 

 Of creatures, great and small, beyond the power 

 Of man to comprehend how they exist. 



J. Montgomery. 



I HAVE seen several accounts in your journal of 

 aquaria, both fresh and salt water, but I do not 

 remember reading much about vivaria. It there- 

 fore struck me that a short account of an insect 

 home I saw the other day may be interesting. 



The one I allude to was manufactured by Messrs. 

 Sanders, and is not, I think, a very recent introduc- 

 tion ; but it is particularly well adapted for the 

 purpose intended, and exceedingly ornamental in 

 appearance. It is arranged for rearing water as 

 well as land insects. A watertight compartment, 

 forming a pretty little bay, and constructed of 

 sheet-zinc, is firmly fixed by means of cement in the 

 interior of the glass vivarium, which by the way 

 somewhat resembles a fern-case in shape. I ought 

 perhaps to mention that the sides and back of the 

 vivarium are made of zinc up to the height of the 

 water-level, and that at this point there is a division 

 in the vivarium, the upper part, or glass cover, being 

 made to lift off; but the whole of this front is 

 of glass. Some framework of perforated zinc affords 

 due ventilation, but my object in writing this paper 

 is not so much to describe a vivarium as the inhabit- 

 ants of one; for I would advise all who wish to 

 possess an insect-home not to attempt to construct 

 one for themselves, when one, properly built, can 

 be purchased at so little expense. 



In arranging a vivarium for the reception of 

 insects, it is well to make the land part rise all 

 round, from the level of the water in little miniature 

 hillocks, varying the sameness by introducing a few 

 moss-covered stones. A little rockwork is also a 

 great improvement in the water portion of the 

 vivarium, especially if it be so constructed as to 

 conceal the small fiowcr-pots which water-plants 



requiring earth have to be grown in, and the bottom 

 of the lake should be covered with small pebbles 

 and a little sand. I may here remark that it will be 

 requisite to have some fresh-water snails as scaven- 

 gers ; they keep the water clean, as sea snails do 

 marine aquaria. 



I am a great advocate for drainage, and think 

 that some pieces of broken bricks, well-burnt 

 cinders, &c, ought to be put in the land portion of 

 the vivarium before the earth is arranged. Now, to 

 say a few words respecting the planting. 



First of all, zinc tubes should be sunk in the 

 earth for the purpose of holding small bottles of 

 water, in which the branches of various kinds of 

 plants required by the caterpillar for food may be 

 inserted. Many caterpillars feed upon the foli- 

 age of large trees, and, as it would be impossible 

 to grow them in a vivarium, it is very necessary to 

 have some contrivance for preserving small sprigs 

 nice and fresh. 



The Purple Emperor butterfly, though generally 

 found upon the oak, and stated by some writers to 

 feed in its caterpillar state on the leaves of this 

 tree, more usually affects the goat -willow, or 

 " sallow." The larva of the " Elm," or " large tor- 

 toiseshell butterfly," likes the willow ; the " death's 

 head moth" prefers the spindle tree ; the " Camber- 

 well Beauty" butterfly the poplar; and the " Purple 

 Hair Streak" the oak ; hence, to suit their various 

 tastes, the little zinc tubes and glass bottles must 

 be put into requisition. 



Dragon-flies are very interesting objects in a 

 vivarium, their transformation being so singular. 

 The first portion of their existence is passed in 

 water, while in their perfected state they become 

 aerial. The larva of the dragon-fly is decidedly 

 ugly; I expect a lecture for this expression, and 

 perchance some lines of my own beginning with 



Oh, call not insects ugly, 



may be quoted. Nevertheless I maintain that 

 dragon flies in early life are not pretty objects, 

 though I think the matured insect splendidly beau- 

 tiful. I saw some magnificent ones, sweeping along 

 on silvery wings, in the grounds of Alderney Manor 

 (the pretty, picturesque residence of the Hon. 

 Grantley F. Berkeley) this summer ; and I cannot 

 imagine a more graceful picture in insect form than 

 the dragon fly exhibiting his skill in the art of 

 flying. 



Dragon-fly larva? are very voracious ; they will eat 

 all insects smaller than themselves while they are 

 in a growing state ; but immediately they cease to 

 increase in size they give over feeding, and climb 

 out of the water, clinging, or rather sticking on, in 

 an apparently motionless form, to some twig or 

 branch which is quite removed from the influence of 

 their former element. Here they remain, drying, as 



