2o; 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



1* to 2* M in diameter, at the time of division pro- 

 longed to 4 M, seldom single or in twos and threes, 

 for the most part united in fours or eights, less often 

 in sixleens or more. Cell-wall colourless, lined with 

 a rose-red layer of plasma. 



On submerged parts of water-plants, on decaying 

 pieces of the same, and floating free in fresh water. 



The families contain at most 32 cells ; those consisting of 8 

 round cells measure 99 (x in length, 49 v- in breadth ; plates of 

 8 cells in the act of -.eparating are 6'6 /x long, 49 M broad ; the 

 same of 16 cells have a length of i6'6n, and a breadth of io"7/x. 



Perhaps also Mcrismopedia violacea (IJrcb.) Kiitzing, 

 belongs to the Fungi. It agrees closely with .S". Reitenbachii 

 in size, but i> di.iinguished by its colour, and especially by the 

 fact that the cells are not unfrequently united in one family to 

 as many as laS. \'ery similar but hitherto, I believe, only found 

 in Sweden is MerisinopiJium choiidroidcum, Wittr. 



23. 5. hyalina (Kiitz.). 



Mcrismopcdia /lyaliiia, Kiitz. 

 ■ Cells round, almost colourless, 2^ /i in diameter ; 

 families usually composed of from 4 to 24 (seldom 

 more) cells, reaching 15 m in diameter. 



In marshes. 



Snrcina trnis, Ilcpworth (Micr. Journ. v. 1857, p. i, pi. i. 

 fig. a) is coloured a lively green, and besides looks very little 

 like a Sarcina, and shall therefore only be mentioned. 



liesides the foregoing species of Sarcina, Kungi belonging to 

 this genus have been observed on various substrata : — on cooked 

 potatoes (in little chrome-yellow heap>). on cooked white of egg 

 (in clear yellow spots), also in fluids, even in the blood of healthy 

 and unhealthy persons.* 



W. B. Grovk, B.A. 

 {To be continued.) 



NOTES ON DAMPING THE PUP/E OF 

 LEPIDOPTERA, WITH OBSERVATIONS 

 ON THEIR MANAGEMENT IN CONFINE- 

 MENT. 



By William J. V. Yandenbergh, F.M.S., &c. 



\Continuedfrom fage 179.] 



I DO not damp my pupa; during the colder winter 

 months, as I consider that the chance of their 

 becoming too dry is more than counterbalanced by 

 the possibility of a frost suddenly occurring and 

 converting the recently introduced moisture into ice ; 

 a consummation which, as I have before hinted, 

 would be exceedingly undesirable. 



When damping is practised the degree of moisture 

 should, as far as possible, always be uniform, and I 

 have seen in operation an ingenious, although simple, 

 method of doing this. The whole of the moss, &c., 

 inside the pupre cage is kept uniformly damp by means 

 of a few strands of ordinary worsted, one end of 

 each strand being deposited in a cup or bottle of water 

 placed outside the cage, and the other end placed 

 among the moss and leaves &c., within it. Each 



• Compare Cohn. " BeitrSge zur Biolngie," vol. i. part 1, page 

 I w. [It IS in the volumes of that work that the foundation of 

 Inis subject is laid.) 



Strand of worsted sucks up the water, in the same 

 way as a lamp-wick absorbs oil, and distributes it in 

 minute quantities over the contents of the cage. 



This is a most useful arrangement, as, to regulate 

 the degree of dampness it is only necessary to add to 

 or diminish the number of worsted strands, of which 

 four or five are generally sufficient for a moderate- 

 sized cage ; the number however will of course 

 greatly depend upon the state of the weather, and the 

 position of the cage as regards wind, sunshine, and 

 other like matters, the regulations as to which can 

 only be learned by practical experience. 



This means of damping is more simple and reli- 

 able than any other I am acquainted with, and it 

 would be exceptionally valuable to those collectors 

 who are in the habit of "forcing" their pupoe (i.e. in- 

 ducing the imago to emerge before the natural time). 



There can be no doubt that the degree of success 

 attained by some collectors in breeding perfect insects 

 from hybernating pupre is due in a great measure, not 

 only to the process before mentioned, but to the 

 material into which the pupce are placed. 



Many lepidopterists prefer cocoa-nut fibre (some- 

 times mixed with other substances) for this purpose, 

 but personally I prefer layers of moss, as it allows freer 

 ventilation and is not so conducive to "mould." 



Before being placed in the pupae cage, the moss 

 should be slowly baked, in order to kill ants, centi- 

 pedes, slugs, &c., the presence of which would pro- 

 bably be injurious to the pupce. 



Ordinary larvae cages are often used for keeping 

 pupae and answer the purpose very well, if kept under 

 cover ; but if the collector intends to keep his pupae 

 exposed to the weather, it is desirable to use a sub- 

 stantial bo.\, such as will not readily warp or crack, 

 and thus render the removal of its contents necessary 

 at any time. 



Care should be taken to pertorate the bottom of the 

 cage with numerous small holes to allow the escape 

 of excessive moisture, and it is advisable to place a 

 layer, about two inches in thickness, of shingle or 

 small stones upon the bottom ; an inch or two of 

 good garden mould (or sand, if preferred), should be 

 deposited upon the stones, and upon this the moss- 

 may be placed. 



Having thus completed the preparation of the cage, 

 the pupre may be introduced and covered with a thin 

 layer of broken moss, upon which may be placed 

 another lot of pupce. Care should, however, be 

 taken not to overcrowd the cage or bury any of the 

 pupse too deeply, as, if this is done, it will probably 

 result in the breeding of " cripples." 



This is, to say the least, a very simple and inex- 

 pensive process, and I have always found it to answer 

 as well as any other at present in use. 



Young and inquisitive collectors often exhume the 

 contents of their pupnc cages every few weeks for the 

 purpose of ascertaining "how they are getting on." I 

 have even seen the Iwppy possessor of a considerable 



