COLLECTING INSECTS. 17 



bottle, when required for species which bury. A cir- 

 cular piece of blotting-paper should be placed over the 

 bottom of each cage, while larvae are feeding in them, and 

 renewed when at all soiled. The excrement must also be 

 removed when the larvae are supplied with fresh food. 

 As a rule, this is only necessary about twice a week, as the 

 water will keep most plants fresh for quite a lengthened 

 period. When it is necessary to remove a larva it should 

 always be done with a fine camel-hair brush, never with 

 the fingers. Generally, however, it is better to allow the 

 larvae themselves to crawl from the old sprig on to the new 

 one, which they usually do in a few hours after the food is 

 changed. The old plants should of course then be taken 

 out so as to afford more room for fresh air. 



Many female moths may be induced to lay their eggs 

 in captivity, especially if put in a box with some of the 

 food-plant of the larva. It is extremely instructive and 

 interesting to rear an insect from the egg. When the 

 young larvae first emerge they must be kept in a tumbler 

 with a piece of glass put over the top, as they might escape 

 through the ventilators of the cages, but they ought to be 

 transferred immediately they are large enough. When 

 rearing a lot of caterpillars from a batch of eggs, care 

 should be taken to avoid overcrowding. 



A collection of insects should always eventually be 

 placed in a neatly constructed cabinet. They should be 

 arranged in rows, systematically, with the correct names 

 under each species, and the name of the order or group at 

 the commencement of each drawer. Numerous modifica- 

 tions in arrangement are often needed to meet the require- 

 ments of different sized insects, but an inspection of any 

 good collection will at once explain the general principles. 

 Camphor should be pinned in the corner of each drawer 

 or store-box, and the whole collection fumigated with 

 carbolic acid, or equal parts of oil of thyme, oil of anise, 



