The Cionus 



off. When you have no sort of grapnel to 

 hold on by, the Idea of clothing yourself in 

 glue, so that you may shift your position 

 without danger of falling, even in a gust of 

 wind, is an original invention of which, as yet, 

 I know no other instance. 



Our grubs are easily reared. Placed in a 

 glass jar, with a few tender twigs of the plant 

 that feeds them, they go on browsing for 

 some time and then make themselves a pretty 

 empulla in which the transformation will 

 take place. To observe this performance 

 and discover the method employed was the 

 chief purpose of my enquiry. I succeeded, 

 though not without a great expenditure of 

 assiduity. 



All its life long, the larva is smeared, on 

 both its dorsal and its ventral surface, with 

 a viscous, colourless, strongly adhesive fluid. 

 Touch the creature lightly, anywhere, with 

 the tip of a camel-hair pencil. The glutinous 

 matter yields and draws out into a thread 

 of a certain length. Repeat the touch in the 

 hot sunshine, in very dry weather. The vis- 

 cosity is not diminished. Our varnishes dry 

 up; the grub's does not; and this is a property 

 of the greatest value, enabling the feeble 

 31S 



