170 MR. C. B. HARDEXBURG 



larva. While the larger and more conspicuous caterpil- 

 lars are such as those of Saturniidae^ Sphingidae, Lasio- 

 campidae, Zi/ntanfridae and the hunger Rhopalocera, can 

 usually be recognised from the descriptions and figures, 

 in their corresponding instars, when we come to the 

 smaller and less strikingly marked species, Ave find that 

 the " description '' usuall\' fits equally well the caterpil- 

 lars of several nearly related species, and is thus not of 

 any use for the identification of any particular larva 

 which we may liave found. 



But, even with the existing descriptions, the numbei' 

 of Lepidoptera of which the caterpillars are known re 

 mains negligible wiien compared with that of the adults, 

 and thus the study of the immature stages offers a field 

 for investigation practically unexplored. Hence the cer- 

 tainty that every collector will discover something new 

 cannot fail to stimulate the interest in this neglected 

 branch of entomology. 



Importance op the Study of Caterpillars. 



Apart from the pleasure of finding the caterpillar of a 

 certain moth or butterfly, hitherto only known from the 

 adult form there is considerable importance attached to 

 the knowledge of these immature stages. We shall con- 

 sider this aspect of the question fromi (or) the standpoint 

 of the collector, (6) its economic importance, and (c) 

 the scientific value of 'this study. 



(a) From the Collector's standpoint: — We can safely 

 assume that the formation of a collection indicates an in- 

 terest in Nature and the insect life which plays such an 

 important part therein ; ergo, in insect biology. Now, a 

 collection of adults only fulfils part of tlie object aimed 

 at; it shows us which insects do occur, but gives us no 

 information in regard to the part tliey play in the scheme 

 of Nature. After the question : ^' Wliat is it?" comes the 

 question : " How does it live?" It is now generally being 

 recognised in the museums that a collection, whether for 

 display or for study, is incomplete when only the mature 



