176 [January, 



On several occasions, when a rolled leaf containing several larvse 

 was just completed, I have broken it open to see the effect produced on 

 the inmates. At first they all appeared in a state of consternation at 

 the partial destruction of their abode, but in a short time, some larvae, 

 which appeared to be deputed by the others to attend to the external 

 repairs, would crawl out from each end, and in a most business-like 

 manner, immediately set to work repairing the damage by spinning 

 another set of silken ropes, the larvae remainiug in the interior ren- 

 dering their fellow larvae their hearty assistance towards restoring the 

 rolled leaf to its original position. When all was done, the outsiders 

 hastened back to the interior, closed up the ends, and resumed their 

 meal which had been disturbed by my curiosity. 



After a few days' residence in the rolled leaf, the larva moults for 

 the second time, and becomes much stouter ; the colour and marking of 

 the two first segments remains as before, but the other segments are 

 now of a pale yellowish-green, and the dorsal vessel is pale green. 



In a very short time after this, indeed, sometimes in two days, the 

 larva moults again, the dorsal vessel then becomes dark green ; four or 

 five days later the larva is quite full fed, and the dark green colouring 

 matter subsiding, the larva appears white, with a slight yellow tinge. 

 It then quits its domicile, in which it leaves heaps of frass and its 

 cast-ofi" skins, and it descends by a thread to the ground, which it either 

 enters, or spins up among dead leaves. Sometimes it penetrates below 

 the surface of the ground to the depth of more than an inch, and there 

 forms its cocoon. Shortly before the time for the exclusion of the 

 imago the pupa emerges from its subterranean abode, and works its way 

 slowly to the surface of the earth, in order to enable the imago to 

 liberate itself; the pupa skins protruding from the ground give the 

 surface of the mould in one's breeding jars a curious appearance, just 

 as though so many little posts were sticking out. 



This creature is very hardy, and may be kept indoors with impunity 

 throughout the winter, and even if the mould in which the pupae are 

 buried becomes quite dry, if the pupae are left undisturbed in their 

 cocoons, the perfect insects fail not to make their appearance in the 

 month of May. If the pupa, however, be turned out of its cocoon for 

 the purpose of observation, the chance of rearing the imago is small.* 



I apprehend that the natural habit of the larvae is to enter the 

 ground, but when they are kept in a jar or box unprovided with 

 mould, but containing merely some leaves of the food-plant, they bow to 



* The eftectof the silken cocoons in excluding exti'emes of temperature or of moisture or dryness, 

 is, no doubt, one of their main uses. — H. T. S. 



