200 LIFE STORIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS. 



One interesting fact was, that one of the larvae 

 split its cell wall as it increased in size, and we pasted 

 a piece of paper at the side to repair it, and it was 

 quite content, increased the length of the wall, and 

 made the cap at top, and pupated. But another 

 larva was not so easily satisfied. The side of the 

 cell split, and we tried to patch it with gummed 

 paper. It started to pupate by increasing the 

 length of the cell, but when it had finished this, in- 

 stead of turning its attention to the cap or roof of 

 its pupal cell, it began to repair the side of its cell, 

 which had split. We left it at this work, and the 

 next morning expected to see it safely in its pupal 

 home, but it seemed to be vainly endeavouring to 

 make the cap, and could not, so we concluded that 

 it had not sufficient thread to do so, as it had used 

 it in the repairing of the side of the cell. So we 

 placed a small piece of cotton wool over the top of 

 the cell, but it would have none of it, and pushed 

 it off. 



We then placed a narrow gelatine tube over the 

 top of the cell, but it did not alter its uncomfortable 

 position of hanging out of the cell. We then took 

 the larva out of its cell, and placed it in the tube 

 with a little cotton wool at the top to allow the 

 air through. The larva died. 



We then took a large healthy larva not quite 

 ready for pupation, and placed it in a tube, feeding 

 it on the juice of crushed spiders — part of its natural 

 diet; but this larva also died, not seeming to flourish 

 except in its natural cell, or perhaps being injured 

 in the removal from its cell. 



