THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Ill 



as the dark larva can be seen through the transparent shell. The larva 

 eats its way through the top or side of the egg, and sometimes makes 

 its first meal from the shell, devouring more or less of it. The larvae 

 which go into lethargy directly from the egg seem to eat nothing but the 

 shell before they descend to the base of the plant and range themselves 

 for a long sleep. In this way behave all the larvae of the larger Argynnids, 

 of the fall brood, when there are two broods ; so do the larger Satyrids, 

 as Alopc. Other larvae hibernate after 2nd and 3rd moult, usually the 

 3rd, as the smaller Argynnids, Myrina and Bellona, Phyciodes, Melitsea, 

 Apatura. Others hibernate at any stage where cold weather catches 

 them, as Colias. Mr. Mead found hibernating larvae of Colias under 

 boards, in Illinois. In the arctic regions, the larvae of Colias never can 

 reach chrysalis the same season in which the eggs are laid. Indeed, I 

 do not see why larvae might not be frozen for an indefinite period and 

 come to life at last when weather was favorable. I have found that the 

 best way to keep hibernating larvae in confinement alive through the 

 winter months is to freeze them in the ice house, or in a snow-bank. 

 The loss, after six months of this treatment, has been very light ; whereas 

 before I tried this method, very few and frequently no larvae at all could 

 be got through. They died from mould in the cellar, or from heat if in 

 the house ; if out of doors, they moved about on warm days and perished 

 from starvation. I have found small paper boxes excellent to keep them 

 in, druggists' pill boxes. And these are set in a tin box and placed direct- 

 ly on the ice. The rough surface of the box allows good foot-hold to the 

 larvae, and the boxes have not moulded. I carried some 60 larvaj of 

 M. Phaeton through last winter, and with them larvae of Ap. Fiora, all of 

 which were half-grown, or past the third moult, with no loss to speak of. 

 And Argynnids Diana, Cybele, Satyrus Aiope, and other species, which 

 hibernate direct from the egg, have been carried with trifling loss. And 

 the later the larvae are left on ice the healthier they seem to be. It is 

 better to rouse them when the weather is settled and mild, than earlier, 

 when violent changes of temperature will occur. Most larvs pass four 

 moults, but in case of hibernating larvae, there is an additional moult. 

 So that the summer brood of a species, as of Apatura, will have four, 

 while the winter brood will have five, three before hibernating and two 

 after it. Great care is necessary with the young caterpillars. Many 

 species are apt to wander, and must be confined from the first, but others, 

 as Limenitis, move very little, and may be trusted to remain always at 



