882 PROCEEDINGS OF THE TIIIKD ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 



on plants growing in pots which can be introduced into breeding cages 

 when necessary. This however is only possible when one deals with a 

 few kinds of insects and with only a few specimens of each kind. Even 

 then some are such voracious eaters, for instance, the Sphingid cater- 

 pillars, that it is difficult to keep only a few individuals supplied with 

 sufficient jJotted plants. Besides it is not always possible to foresee what 

 insects may require to be fed and to have sufficient plants ready for them 

 beforehand. Therefore it is absolutely necessary to use some kind of 

 handy cages in which the insects can be kept confined and fed with leaves. 

 Such cages are essential when we want to study individual larvae very 

 closely. 



Leaf-feeders kept in cages require to be given a constant and regular 

 supply of fresh leaves, which should be fresh and neither dried up nor 

 wet when given. If leaves are of necessity gathered in a wet condition, 

 they are best dried by placing them in the centre of a dry towel or cloth 

 and whirling this around l)y the corners, so that the moisture is driven 

 out by centrifugal action without bruising the leaves. 



Care must also be taken that no predaceous insects or other animals 

 are introduced with the leaves. 



When only a few insects are under rearing in one cage, it is well to 

 count them when fresh food is given, to make sure that none are removed 

 and thrown away with the old food when it is removed. 



Young caterpillars especially are very delicate animals and should 

 not be handled if it can be avoided. They also require tender leaves of 

 their foodplant as a rule. 



Leaf-miners, among which can be included also those which mine 

 under the epidermis of the green bark like that of cotton. For a few- 

 examples we can name Acrocercops, Rhytichcenus and Eugnamptus on 

 mango leaves, Phyllocnidis on lemon leaves, Hispa on rice leaves and 

 Trachys on jute leaves. It should be remembered that in the case of all 

 these, as in the case of the majority of miners of this description, the 

 laivce complete their larval life in the same mine and cannot form a fresh 

 one even when they are provided with suitable leaves. They live inside 

 and feed on moist tissue. Therefore it is essential that when the leaves 

 containing them are plucked from the j^lants they should be kept moist 

 as long as possible. For this pm'pose the glass dishes and jars are in- 

 valuable. In S'me cases the use of wet blotting paper is necessary or a 

 layer of moist earth may be placed at the bottom of the cage. There are 

 a few miners which can migrate to fresh leaves and form fresh mines in 

 them, for instance, the caterpillars of Phthmmcea e.gasima and the 

 grubs of Platypria andrewesi. Rearing them is easy, as they can be 

 supplied with fresh leaves as long as necessary. 



