1906.] 227 



During the dead winter months we examined the pot fort- 

 nightly, occasionally sprinkling it with water, not allowing the larva, 

 however, to get a drop. Our idea here was to maintain a moderately 

 moist atmosphere just now and again, such as is so necessary for some 

 pupae. We were careful to avoid tlie twig on which the larva sat, 

 and, through minute inspection, twice arrested the progress of mildew 

 up the stem. The water perhaps did good, for it was after drenching 

 the saxifrage in January that the larva lo.st its shrivelled a|)pearance 

 and looked healthier and more robust. 



So anxious were we now to bring the creatur^' through, that we 

 began, as early as the middle of February, to put sallow twigs with 

 embryo catkins on them round the dormant creature, thinking that it 

 might start eating, or, at all events, crawling and sipping at any 

 moment when mild weather reigned. We kept this up regularly, and 

 as March came in raised the net covering from the brim of the pot so 

 as to let in more light and air. The first spell of spring, about March 

 4th, produced no effect. But on March 17th, a brilliant day and very 

 mild, it made the first movement since hibernation. Kaising its head, 

 it waved its horns about with some rapidity, and after a short period 

 of quiescence suddenly crawled from its winter perch and made a 

 tour of the fresh sallow twigs. At about three o'clock in the after- 

 noon we found it busily burrowing into a young female catkin. Close 

 examination persuaded us that it was pushing away the silvery hairs 

 of the catkin to get at the green core. Having done this, it took some 

 dozen bites. Whether it actually devoured some of the catkin — 

 which it broke open on one side — or merely sucked juice out of it, we 

 were unable to discover. At four o'clock it became quiescent on the 

 catkin, and at dusk settled down on the stem immediately under it. 

 A period of wintry weather set in after this, and it did not move again 

 until April 3rd, when, encouraged by a brilliant spring day, it made 

 another tour of the fresh sallow twigs. 



The water question now forced itself upon us, and we sprinkled 

 the stems plentifully. As a reward for this forethought it took a 

 couple of drinks and settled down in a fresh place, spinning a very 

 meagre web mat, the first since last autumn. On April 10th the 

 same thing look place as on April 3rd -another apparently useless 

 tour, eating nothing, although leaves were fast showing themselves, 

 but drinking readily. 



The first meal took place on April 13th, when it ate vigorously 

 at dusk, after spending the day aimlessly wandering about and drink- 

 ing occasionally. From this date the situation seemed saved. We 



