I^vtroductiom: xli 



to pupse, or preparing to hybernate, fasten some leaves of the food-plant to the roof or walls, or 

 they spin their cocoons on the surface of the ground under the food-plant, and attach it to 

 some leaves of the latter. In such cases the leaves which are attached to the cocoon should 

 be carefully separated with a pair of scissors, and left where they are, when the rest of the stale 

 food is removed. 



Special rn/cs must be observed in rearing larvs when there is anything unusual in their habits. 

 Fruits and seeds which contain larvae only require to be laid on the ground, which should be 

 occasionally damped. In the case of larvae which feed in the stems of plants, the stalk should 

 be stuck into damp sand after it has been cut off, and when the stalk appears to be eaten out 

 or withered, a fresh stalk must be stuck close to it into which the larva can eat its waj'. If 

 it neglects to do this, a hole should be bored in the upper part of a fresh stalk, and the 

 larva should be allowed to creep in, when it will soon make itself at home there. It is more 

 difficult to rear larvEe which live in the branches of trees and shrubs, especially when the}' are still 

 small, as the branches will seldom remain fresh in water or in damp sand till the larvse are read)' 

 to assume the pupa state. It is therefore advisable to defer bringing home such larvee till they are 

 nearly full-fed. Otherwise nothing more can be done than to cut a branch or sapling from a living 

 tree of the same kind, to bore a hole from above into the stump, and to allow the larva to creep 

 in, after it has been carefully removed from its old dwelling. The hole must then be stopped with 

 a wooden plug, and not touched until the larva is likely to have become a pupa, when the portion 

 of the stump which contains it must be cut off, and brought in-doors. This is the best way of 

 rearing those Sesice which live in the slender branches of trees. Those which live in the bark or 

 the trunks of trees must be treated in a similar manner. A hole must be bored for these in a 

 piece of fresh bark, into which they must be plugged as already directed, and the bark must then 

 be laid on damp sand. It is still better if the piece of bark containing the larva can be removed 

 without disturbing the latter. Larvae which feed in the substance of the wood itself should be cut 

 out with the piece of wood containing them, and laid on damp sand in the same way. In the case 

 of the larva; of Cossus, it is sufficient to provide them with a quantity of rotten wood, in which 

 they can make their home comfortably. Larvse which feed in the roots of plants must be 

 transplanted with the roots and surrounding earth. Other larvze which feed on roots should 

 also be moved into flower-pots containing their food-plant, or the roots or tubers on which 

 they feed (such as potatoes or turnips) should be placed on or in loose earth. In the case 

 of lichen-feeders, it is best to put a piece of stone or bark with the food growing on it into the 

 breeding-cage, and to renew it from time to time. Besides, such lichens require to be frequently 

 damped. 



ManagciHcnt of Larva on emerging front the Egg. — These larvae are generally so small that 

 many of them would be lost, even in cages intended for the larva; of M icro-Lepidoptera. Thev 

 must first be reared in small glasses or pasteboard boxes without earth, and kept in the cellar 

 till they have at least passed through their first moult. The food requires renewing frequcnti)'. 

 Most larva: which feed on low plants can be fed at first on young lettuces, and the tenderest 

 leaves must always be selected for very young larvae. The young larvae of Noctiice which ha\'e 

 hybernated, or which emerge from the egg in early spring, often appear before the trees on which 

 they feed have come into leaf In such cases we must supply them with the buds, into which 

 they will immediately eat, or with willow catkins. After the first moult we can remove the 

 young larvJE to the ordinary breeding-cages. 



Situation of the Breeding-cages. — In general, the breeding-cages with the larvae should be 

 kept in places where there is plenty of fresh air ; and if they are kept in a room, the window 

 /til 



