NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 149 



feeders on herbaceous plants they bore into various other plants 

 with stems thick enough to contain them. If nothing else is 

 supplied they will form a neatly rolled cell in the earth, but it is 

 better to provide them with cut bramble stems, or what will do 

 equally well, with corks into which they will bore. 



Those of Tenthredo, AUantus, and Dokrus, require mould. They 

 feed on willows, birches, or herbaceous plants (ScrojjJmlaria, 

 Umbelliferae, etc.) They are very difficult to rear, and com- 

 paratively few of their histories are known. 



The Lydides either live solitarily in rolled up leaves, or spin 

 leaves together in company. They are not easy to breed, and 

 pupate in the earth. 



The best time for larvae is during the autumn, from August to 

 October. Some species occur early (e.g., Blennocampa Uneolata in 

 June), more particularly those which are double brooded, and 

 these should be especially sought after, for they are easily reared, 

 the whole j)eriod of their transformations only lasting five or six 

 weeks, while the autumnal broods remain as larvae over the 

 winter till the spring, and it is during this time that havoc is 

 made in their numbers ; it may be owing to too much dryness, 

 too much moisture, mould, or want of vitality in the creatures 

 themselves. 



If possible, a collection of the larvae should be made, and this 

 is not difficult, as the only method available is to preserve them 

 in spirit or some other fluid, for they cannot be inflated and dried 

 like some of the Lepidoptera. I have tried various fluids, and 

 have no hesitation in recommending Goadby's fluid as one of the 

 best and least expensive. If this be used, care must be taken to 

 put good corks in the bottles or tubes employed, or otherwise the 

 salt will evaporate and accumulate in a crust round the cork ; 

 should this happen the fluid of course gets deteriorated. A 

 mixture of glycerine and alcohol will also do, but I have not 

 much experience of it. 



We pass now to the gallmaking Cynipidae. In order to rear 

 these with any success, it is absolutely necessary that the galls 

 should only be gathered after they have become fully developed, 

 when most of the moisture and sap has disappeared, and the 

 enclosed larvae have ceased feeding. It is to be remarked that 

 the gallmaking Cynipidae feed only on the juice (which seems to 

 contain a good deal of starch) while the sawfly gallmakers feed on 



