INTRODUCTION 



By James G. Needham 



THE needs of animals determine all successful rearing practices. 

 Their basic requirements are four: (i) Food; (2) Protection 

 from enemies; (3) A suitable physical environment: these 

 for individual livelihood; and also for the maintenance of 

 successive generations; (4) Fit conditions for reproduction. 



Culturing animals doubtless began with collecting and caring for 

 living specimens, and the first suggestions for supplying their needs in 

 captivity were gained (as they are still to be gained) by carefully ob- 

 serving them in their natural habitat. There they are seen eating their 

 food, constructing their homes, eluding their enemies, accepting their 

 mates, and rearing their offspring. There is no better way to proceed in 

 the beginning than by imitating natural conditions. Our methods 

 must be adapted to the .ways of the animal, for only in a very small 

 measure will it change its ways for ours. Especially in the reproductive 

 habits will it show readiness to go its hereditary way, and stubborn 

 refusal to go any other. We may learn by experiment how best to 

 meet its needs under indoor conditions. It is not so much close imita- 

 tion of the natural environment, as careful feeding and attention to 

 hygienic needs that make for permanent maintenance. Artificial devices 

 may replace and may even better those found in nature (witness the 

 movable-frame beehive as compared with the hollow tree), but the basic 

 requirements of the animal remain ever the same. 



This book is concerned with methods of management of animal 

 cultures under control. In the following pages will be found, first some 

 general suggestions covering the principles of culture management by 

 members of the Committee, followed by more specific and detailed 

 methods for rearing particular groups or species, written by many 

 individual contributors and collaborators. As stated in our call for 

 such materials (Science 77:427, 1933), we have sought to obtain for at 

 least one species of each considerable group of invertebrates "a fairly 

 complete account of maintenance requirements, covering collecting 

 methods and devices, cages and breeding quarters, plans for feeding 

 and watering, cleaning and aerating quarters, breeding management, 

 and all else that enters into the maintenance of the species through 

 successive generations." When such an account was not available we 

 have welcomed scraps of information that seemed likely to be helpful 

 toward culture-keeping. The contributed articles vary therefore from 



