116 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Larvse bear confinement in tight glasses well, and I often receive them 

 from correspondents as distant as Florida, or California, through the 

 mails, in good condition. The plants keep well in this sort of confine- 

 ment also. I have never used what are known as "breeding cages," 

 which are expensive if purchased, and are troublesome to make at home. 

 The entomologists at the Agricultural Department, Washington, have 

 large numbers of these cages, for all order of insects. The frames are of 

 wood, about i8 inches high by 12 wide, one side opening on hinges. 

 All the sides and the top are filled in with fine brass wire netting ; the top 

 fits over like the cover of a bandbox, as it is often desirable to lift it off, 

 and the whole thing rests on a tin base, so made as to hold earth, in case 

 it is desired to have growing plants in the cage. So larvae of Noctuinidae, 

 etc., may have earth in which to bury themselves. If the sides were not 

 of wire, but of cotton netting, many species of larvae would eat their way 

 out, especially when about to pupate. On a recent visit at the Depart- 

 ment, I could not learn the cost of such cages, but should suppose three 

 or four dollars at least would be required for them. I found that the 

 entomologists spoken of used tubes and glasses much as I have done for 

 the younger larval stages ; also they tie bags of guaze over growing plants 

 in flower pots, as I often do. The bag should clear the top of the plant 

 and leave a few inches to spare, and it is held up and spread by three 

 sticks set in the earth. In raising the large Argynnids, Diana, Cybele, 

 etc., violets are planted in the pots, and the larvse do well confined by 

 bags in the manner described. As fast as the plant is consumed another 

 must be substituted. These larvse make no effort to escape, rest on the 

 earth or on the sticks, and pupate from the top of the bag. So all Satyrid 

 larvse are easily reared in this way. I make constant use of tm pails 

 with tin covers, one and two quart, for many larvae. Now, as I write, I 

 have Grapta Comma, Melit^Ea Harrlsii, Limenitis Disippus (nearly 

 mature), and P. Philenor feeding in pails. They do perfectly well with- 

 out light or sunshine. So do Apaturas, and in fact most larvse. The 

 food must be changed daily and the pails washed out and dried. As for 

 large larvae, as of the Papilios, I generally use powder kegs (wood) or 

 nail kegs, one or the other of which can be had anywhere. Remove the 

 top hoop, and use the second one to bind down the cotton cloth cover ; 

 put a little earth in the bottom, and in it set a two quart glass fruit jar 

 filled with water, in which branches of the food-plant are placed. No 

 farther care is required than to substitute fresh branches for the old ones 



