I'KACTICAlj HINTS. 115 



more than 80°. The sudclen cliang'e to the Avarmth seemed to enliven 

 their movements in every stage ; the larva? walked about rather faster 

 than usual, and nearly all the pupa? wriggled out of their long cocoons 

 as soon as they had turned, and it is, jjerhaps, needless to say that the 

 male imago would not wait long to be looked at. I have thus simjjly 

 stated the liare result of my experiments Avithout comment as to the 

 advisability of following my plan, because, altliough it is clear that by 

 these means the " fox moth " may be reared from the caterpillar — and 

 I believe that this is due, in a great measure, to their being well frozen 

 — yet I think that the disadvantages of size and colour, which, I sup]Jose, 

 are the direct result of forcing, cannot be overlooked. — A. M. Moss, 

 Trinity College, Cambridge. March (jth, 1893. 



The Month. — During this month, night searching for larv* will 

 well repay the laboiir. Large numljers may be taken, and nearly all 

 the genus Noctiia. Immediately after dark, examine — by the aid of the 

 lantern — edges of ridings, and, in fact, everywhere where the warm 

 deAvs of spring burst the Ijud, exposing to the hungry larva the 

 succulent leaf. Success will be sure to follow. Captures "will be 

 numerous, and it will almost l)e impossible to separate each species, but 

 when practicable, it would l^e well to separate as much as possible, so 

 that notes may be made as to habits, &c. 



The lengthening days continue to increase the roll of insects on the 

 wing. Several of the butterflies are putting in an appearance e.g. Leuco- 

 phasia sinapis, Euchloe cardamines, Pieris rapce, Li/ccena artjiolm, first 

 brood. 



Biston Itirtaria, common in London squares on tree trunks ; easily 

 captured, being a very sluggish insect during the day. Saturnia carpini 

 is a conspicuous insect, J flying over heaths in the sunshine ; J sel- 

 dom on the wing. Many good " Pugs " are out this month, such as 

 Eiip/'thecia helceticata and E. coronata (this family is Avorthy the atten- 

 tion of the young entomologist). Some " Thorns " also appear this 

 month ; in fact, the list of fresli imagines is more numerous than sjjace 

 Avill admit. Carefully date all captures for futiu-e reference, and Avlien 

 an " unknown " caj)ture is made, label with date, &c., and put on one 

 side until some " wiser " collector can aflix the name. — J. P. Mutch. 



Notes on Bkeeding Endromis veksicolor. — HaAdng had great 

 ])leasui-e and success in rearing this splendid insect, I hear, with regi'et, 

 that some of ni}^ friends find it a difficult, species to get into pupa?. I 

 wish, therefore, to record my experience to the contrary. The fii-st 

 point is, to obtain ova of a healthy Scotch descent. The parent moths 

 often pair more than once, Avith cAddent advantage to the fertility of 

 the ova. These should hatch about the end of May, Avhen birch leaA^es 

 are in abiin dance, at least, in these southern parts. It is essential that the 

 ova should be kept in the shade, and not exjDOsed to the full rays of the 

 sun mitil they begin to hatch. The omission of this precaution has often 

 resulted in failure, and the blame has been laid on the ova. If sleeved 

 on the groANdng tree, not exposed too much to the sun, they feed up 

 readily, and eat enormously. I am sometimes obliged to finish them off 

 on alder, but they do not seem to affect this, as they arc said to do at 

 Kannoch. The beauty of the full-grown larva? is a real treat to the col- 

 lector ; and noAV for the pupation. Place the larva? ujjon sandy earth, 

 mixed Avith cocoa-nut fibre, and they will spin up readily, and keep 

 safely. An additional ground for rearing versicolor is its early emer- 



