THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



75 



happened to be studying therein, but the plants seldom thrive well under 

 such conditions, and the effect on the insects feeding thereon is unsatis- 

 factory and in many cases fatal. Especially is this true where it 

 becomes necessary to transplant from out of doors, as it frequently 

 occurs that we wish to transfer a plant with the larvte feeding upon it to 

 a position that will enable the movements of the latter to be carefully 

 studied. Under the new arrangement we can either grow the food plant 

 in the benches or transplant it from the garden or field, place our 

 insects upon it, and cover it with a breeding cage, thus eliminating to a 

 considerable extent the objectional features of the old method. Or if we 

 find an insect attacking a plant out of doors we can place one of the 

 cages of the pattern that we are now using over the plant, and pushing 

 the metal base into the soil deftly inclose the whole within our cage 

 without in the least disturbing ihe insects that we wish to study under 

 the most natural conditions possible. 



The breeding cage now in use is shown in Figure 25 and also in 

 Plate 4. It consists of a wooden frame of four upright pieces supporting 

 a wooden top and with an upper base also of wood. Three sides are 



covered with swiss drawn tightly and 

 fastened along the edges by means of 

 galvanized iron strips about one-fourth of 

 an inch in width, and these are in turn 

 fastened to the wood by tinned staples, 

 such as are used in laying carpets and 

 matting. The remaining side is of glass, 

 which is raised and lowered as required, 

 and works in vertical grooves. By using 

 galvanized iron strips and tinned staples 

 the rusting out of the swiss or other 

 cloth covering is avoided. The lower 

 base is also of galvanized iron, and is 

 shown in Figure 26, as is also the 

 wooden bottom which fits inside of this, 

 and can be used when needed, and when 

 not may be readily removed and laid 

 aside, as it is fastened in place by screws. 

 When used without the bottom it is only necessary to place the cage 

 over the plant or plants and press it down until the metal portion is sunk 



Fig. 



25- 



