174 [January, 



measure impatient of imprisonment, and as soon as tliey discover the 

 least closeness in tbe air or change of condition in the food, begin to 

 wander round the vessel, and try by every possible means to escape. 

 If it is not very tightly tied down they force their way under the 

 string, perfectly indifferent to a squeezing that while in operation 

 completely flattens them, and if the string is too tight they will force 

 their way between the covering and the pot or into the smallest fold 

 and there die after reducing themselves to the thickness of brown 

 paper. To frustrate their efforts the covering must be of strong 

 calico or cloth, and must be tied down with thiii string which must be 

 wound five or six times round the pot and strained tiglit at each round, 

 and the covering material then pulled tight. No larva can then force 

 its way under the string and they cannot easily get between the calico 

 and the pot, but to completely prevent this the best plan appears to be 

 to rub a little lard or other form of grease round the edge of the pot. 

 This they detest and will not willingly touch, and it does seem to cir- 

 cumvent them. If by these devices the larvse can be compelled to 

 remain in the pot, they will spin up among the food-plant or in the 

 moss, but so much sulkiness remains in their disposition that the 

 moths, on emerging, will often remain among the rubbish at the bottom 

 until spoiled. The best plan is to examine the food and pick out the 

 pupjie, w^hich do well if placed on soft material in a chip or card box. 

 If, however, when full-fed the larvae are allowed to force their way 

 with difficulty out of the pot they appear quite satisfied, and will spin 

 up in the first available place ; so that I have obtained numerous 

 pupae by simply laying a squeczed-up piece of gauze or leno, or even 

 Bome dry moss, loosely on the top of the pot. 



There are a very few leaf -feeders such as Stigmonotn JVeirana 

 and nitidana, which hibernate in a cocoon between the leaves on which 

 they have fed. These give little trouble and only require to be kept 

 cool. 



The species of the genus Betinia, which feed in fir-shoots, are 

 tolerably easy to rear if the shoots are not allowed to get too dry, as 

 they do not readily become mouldy, and the larvse will move freely to 

 fresh shoots. A common flower-pot covered with glass is the best for 

 them. 



Some of the species of AncTiylopera, which feed on the leaves of 

 shrubs and make themselves domiciles in which to pass the winter, are 

 rather difficult to rear, and must have winter exposure, but those 

 which feed in early spring on clover, &c., are easily managed. 



Except the Sciaphilce, no Tortrix larva) are so hard to rear as the 



