692 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVI. 



No. II. — 23rd October 1918 — Darker type of larva started cocoon, 

 24th October — Cocoon nearly finished, but larva still depositing 

 layers on the inside. At 1 p.m., larva bit its way out at one end and 

 started to make deep clefts in the cocoon wall at two places opposite 

 each other. 



The opening thus made was tested several times as regards size with 

 great deliberation, the larva extending half its body out of the cocoon 

 to assure itself that the vent was large enough. The two clefts were 

 then lightly sealed on the inside with a tangle of soft silk. 25th October — 

 Cocoon apparently completed, but movements still continue inside. 



No. Ill & IV. -31st October 1918— Two large larvw of the lighter 

 variety started making cocoons. The same stages were observed as 

 noted above. 



No. V. — 10th November 1918 — One large larvse of the dark variety is 

 making its cocoon. 



I had to leave Basra soon after this and left the remaining larvae and 

 cocoons at the Central Laboratory. 



In Maxwell-Lefroy's ' Indian Insect Life ' there is a note on ' Emergence 

 from the Cocoon ' on page 481. Restates that data are not available for 

 many Indian insects and gives some of the commonest methods chiefly in 

 order to direct the attention of the student to this neglected point. Some 

 of the methods mentioned are : — 



A — By the activity of the Pupa : 



i. The pupa releases itself by a large pair of mandibles (Micropteryx). 

 ii. The pupal head has hard processes and the body is ciliated. 



(Anthrax). 

 iii. The pupa escapes by wriggling out of the cocoon. (Psychidse.) 

 B — By the activity of the imago : 



i. By the secretion of solvents to dissolve the cocoon, e.g., by means 



of free Potass hydroxide in Puss moth cocoons. 

 ii. By solvents supplemented by spines at the base of the costal edge 

 (Saturnia, etc.). 

 C — By structural devices in the cocoon : 



i. One end is closed with thread loops only. (Uttacus). 



ii. The lips of one end close mechanically and can easily be opened 



from within (Earipe) 

 iii. A definite lid is provided to the cocoon. (Limacodidse). 

 The author goes on to say that there are probably abundant devices as 

 yet unknown, and the method employed by the larvee, as described above, is 

 as far as I know one of these. 



It was a striking fact to observe how the larva, after all but completing 

 the cocoon, always ' remembered ' to destroy part of its laboriously built 

 home by biting out two deep clefts at one end, and how the valve-like door 

 thus made was patiently tested several times to make certain of its being 

 of the right size and then carefully closed on the inside with a little soft 

 silk which would not interfere with the emergence of the imago. 



[The moth appears to be Taragama giva or a very closely allied race- — Eds.] 



