128 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



struck me they might want water. Wetting a sable, I profifered a drink. 

 They all drank greedily, grasping tlie brush with their fore-legs, and even 

 following it around. I watered them two or three days, but tired of 

 this and threw them out. The same day they were found spinning up on 

 the fence. This spring I collected another lot, and gave them some 

 curved bark to spin in. About one half refused to spin. I soused them 

 with water. Two remained contumacious, but another wetting brought 

 them to terms. The black larva of the Great Leopard Moth, Ecpatithcria, 

 hybernates also, spins up about the first of June, and emerges about the 

 15th with us. Feeds on Poke-berry plant, and will eat cabbage. I failed 

 to winter some twenty this season. Either they dry up in the house, or 

 mould in the cellar. They should be wintered out-doors, in a box without 

 bottom placed on the ground and half filled with leaves and brush, 

 exposed to the weather, but having proper drainage. They come out of 

 the leaves in the spring distended by moisture. Whether they feed before 

 spinning is uncertain. I collect them in the fall at th-e foot of willow 

 trees, when digging up the pupa of Smyrinthus gemmatus. 



It is generally claimed that moist leaves will induce scouring in the 

 Botfibix mori, hut out-door larvae get abundance of rain and dew, and may 

 require it. In confinement they fail to get their full growth. Their food 

 should be sprinkled daily. The great difficulty of keeping the food fresh 

 deters many from rearing larvje. To such I would say, try tin boxes or 

 glass jars. Clean daily and keep moist. Two or three drops of water 

 are sufficient. I have had a lot of empty fruit cans capped, and have kept 

 food fresh in them for ten days. When the nearest food plant is three 

 miles distant this is some object. I find that they do not require light, 

 and but little air. When they cease feeding, remove to spinning or 

 ground boxes. The ground must be kept moist, or the larva will be 

 unable to remove the skin around the thorax, and strangle. If they find 

 t too dry they will come out and try to escape. Many wander about for 

 a day or two before burying themselves. Covering the ground with sod 

 often expedites matters. When ten days have passed they may be sifted 

 out to give place for others, and laid out in another ground box on top, as 

 it is preferable to have them in sight, on account of vermin. Never pull 

 larvae from their food, especially. when moulting in changing food. Clip 

 the old food oft" around them, and they will change themselves. Placing 

 some hungry Apatnra clytons three inches from fresh food, they struck a 

 bee line for it. 



