218 llVbruaiy, 



Tumid, twigs, rough unnatural appearance of bark, holes in the boles and 

 branches of trees, &c., usually denote the presence of larvae, sometimes of Lepi- 

 doptera, sometimes of Diptera, sometimes of Coleoptera ; at one time of a wood 

 feeder, at another of a bark feeder. As examples, let us take the unmistakeable 

 signs of the wood-boring Cossus in its ravages on willows and various other trees, 

 and Zenzera in ash, privet, and lilac ; Trochilium apiforme and bembecifortne in aspen, 

 sallow, &c. ; tipuliforme in nodulated twigs of currant-bushes ; cynipiforme in the 

 bark of unhealthy looking oaks ; sphegifomie, scoUoeforme, and cuUdforme in birch* 

 and alder trunks ; myopceforme in bark of apple and pear trees ; formicceforme in 

 osier twigs ; besides several Tort/rices, such as 8. Weeherana (apple) ; and EpJiestia 

 pingiiedinella (ash), which, by roughening the bark, and ejecting their "frass" at the 

 openings of their galleries, betray their whereabouts. 



The smell, as of the Cossus larva, so strongly inherent in the animal (for aught 

 I know existing in other larvas), would indicate its proximity, and the hunter, if it 

 please him, may " follow up the scent." 



The sound of the jaw-work of the larger larvae, as those of the Sphingidee for 

 instance, or of falling frass, might assist us also to their situations. 



"Webs, whether on trees, bushes, or herbs, frequently indicate the position of 

 a colony of larvae ; the collector having satisfied himself that the contained larvae 

 are worth the trouble of rearing, should take nest and all, as the web seems in 

 some measure to be necessary to the welfare of the species, aflfording as it does a 

 place of retirement for the larvae when not engaged in the work of defoliation. 



Single silken threads hanging from branches, or wherever else observed, 

 often have a larva at the end of them; when they extend to the ground, the threads 

 should be jerked up so as to lift the larvae, or they may be 'tracked to their desti- 

 nation. 



Cast-off skins are sometimes noticed on the leaves of plants, &c. ; when 

 the skins are soft and fresh the larvse are usually not far off. 



But frass (a word derived from the German, and used to express the pellets 

 of excrement,) next perhaps to the abnormal appearances of the plants themselves, 

 is one of the surest signs to go by. Upon the sand hills, chalky places, paths, 

 roads, or other places where ground vegetation is scanty, we may frequently find 

 these evidences, and from them, bringing a knowledge of the laws of gravitation to 

 our help,' make a shrewd guess at the position of the larva ; we can, thereby, also 

 form an opinion as to the size of the larva, and even in some cases as to the very 

 species (e. g. D. galii and M. stallatarum), while from its fresh or stale appearance 

 we may calculate the chances of the larvae being in the vicinity ; by this, aided by 

 trails, often has the larva of Deilephila been successfully tracked. 



The Trails and burrowings of larvae as of Deilephila, Agrotis, and others, 

 indicate the direction which they have taken, and these too may sometimes be 

 followed up with advantage. 



The presence of ichneumons and birds, such as Tomtits, Tree-creepers, &c., 

 would also point out that their prey, and our game, was in the neighbourhood. 



* Culieiforme, and perhaps its birch and alder-feoding allies also, seem to prefer the stump of a 

 tree which has been fellfd, so that it is advisable to search these stumps on the next year after the trunk 

 has been cut down ; and here we have another indication, for the mouth of the gallery in which the 

 larva is feeding presents the peculiar apjiearance of being capped over, as it were, with agglutinated 

 ))articles of wood. N.B. — The inner bark is the favoured spot with culieiforme. 



