888 PKOCEEDINGS OF THE THIRD ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 



four montlis and have then dwindled and died. Some of the colonies 

 in glass jars were buried underground in the compound inside the jars ; 

 one of these hved for a year. The tile cages we use measure about 12 

 inches in length and about 4 inches in breadth. The thiclmess from face 

 to back is about one mch. The inside dimensions of the chambers are 

 about 3 X 3 X J inches. 



Colonies of Microtermes ohesi were similarly established in glass jars 

 and also in the tile cages. But they seemed to be more delicate than 

 ■Odontotermes assumuthi and died quickly. 



Some general hints on rearing. It is advisable to examuie the cages 

 every day in the morning or better still, both morning and" evening and 

 take out the insects which have emerged. Butterflies and moths are 

 better taken out as soon as their wings have hardened or they may spoil 

 the scales on the wings by fluttering in the cage. Flies are better left 

 for a day or two ; if killed too soon their wings collapse and shrivel. 

 Beetles should be left for two or three days or their colour does not develop 

 properly. Bugs and grasshoppers should also be left in the cages for 

 two or three days to allow them to harden their wings and develop 

 colour. 



In the case of large specimens, for instance, Sphingid rfoths, Saturniad 

 moths, larger butterflies, etc., it may be necessary to transfer the pupee 

 from small rearing cages to zinc breeding cages so that the imagines on 

 emergence may crawl up the wire gauze wall and hang and develop- 

 their wings properly. Otherwise the result is a specimen with crumpled 

 undeveloped wings. If the rearing cage be large a few long sticks stuck 

 into the earth or stood against the Walls may serve the purpose. 



Cannibals. The rearer will find by experience that some insects, 

 which are normally plant-feeders, develop into voracious cannibals when 

 kept in close proximity to their fellows under conditions of confinement. 

 If, on counting them, caterpillars are found to have disappeared without 

 visible reason, cannibalism may reasonably be suspected. Such larvse 

 must of course be reared separately. 



Records. A very important part of rearing is the proper recording 

 of full descriptions and accounts of all the stages of all insects under 

 rearing. These may either be Cage-slips kept on separate uniformly- 

 sized sheets of paper placed under, or at least with, each cage or may be 

 kept in a register or note-book. In any case, each separate lot of insects 

 reared should be provided with a separate number corresponding to the 

 Cage-slip or entry in the register, and the reared specimens should have 

 this number entered on their labels, so that, in after time, there is no 

 possible doubt as to the actual specimens to which the records refer. 



