74 CURRANT. 



paired readily in captivity, and, supplying these with a spray 

 of Eed Currant with berries rather more than half-grown, I 

 had the pleasure of seeing the moth lay eggs in such Currants 

 on several occasions. The moths were then sleeved out on 

 growing Currants, and here also they laid eggs, though I did 

 not see it done. 



" The moth sits upon the Currant, and penetrates it in the 

 lateral region; on one occasion the process occupied three or 

 four minutes, on another only about thirty seconds. The 

 dates were from 17th to 20th May. On examining one of 

 these Currants, which was rather more than half-grown, and 

 with seeds still very soft, but about 1*75 mm. in diameter, 

 two eggs of capitella were found lying free in the ovarian 

 cavity ; in another the cavity contained two such pairs of 

 eggs. ... I have little doubt, however, that two eggs are 

 laid at each penetration." The eggs were nearly colourless, 

 and somewhat lemon-shaped, about 0'67 millimetre in length, 

 and 0*37 in breadth. 



Continuing Dr. Chapman's account in abstract : no change 

 was noticeable in the Currants under observation until the 

 last week in June, when most of the Currants being still 

 green, some among them had the appearance of being nearly 

 ripe, and these proved to be infested by capitella. In some 

 the caterpillar was still present, in others it had escaped, and 

 in two instances Dr. Chapman saw the caterpillar in the act 

 of escaping by boring through the juicy substance of the 

 Currant, and emerging a short way from the summit. " The 

 food of the larva whilst in the Currant is the interior of one 

 seed. . . . The buds and fruit spurs of the Currant have at 

 their bases many dead scales that persist from earlier buds, 

 and amongst these the young larva buries and hides itself, 

 spinning a small firm white cocoon in which to pass the 

 winter."— (T. A. C). 



Thus the account is made complete throughout the year, 

 up to the date when the caterpillars appear from the quarters 

 in which they have passed the winter, and their renewed 

 state of activity is made apparent by the fading of the young 

 Currant shoots under attack (see p. 72). 



It may perhaps be of some assistance to those not accus- 

 tomed to observation of insect-life to draw attention to the 

 circumstance of the same caterpillars rctirinf/ twice from 

 active life in the course of the year, once when partially 

 grown for their winter rest in their cocoons, and again in the 

 late spring for their change to chrysalis. 



Prevention and Eemedies. — One remedy is obviously to 

 pick off and destroy the infested sJwots which have been 



