Introductio.v. xliii 



that may be hidden among the dead leaves or moss. When they have been moved, it is well 

 to sprinkle them freely with rain-water once or twice, which seems to be useful in helping them to 

 recover themselves after their long winter's fast. Alany larvre do not eat fresh food immediately 

 after hybeYnation, but withered leaves of the year before, which should therefore always be put 

 with them. With this exception, most larv.ne which have hybernated will eat sorrel, dead-nettle, 

 plantain, chickweed, grass, &c. 



LarvK may also be kept through the winter in flower-pots in which their food-plant is 

 growing. The earth must be covered with moss and dry leaves, and the pot must be covered with 

 muslin or gauze. Larva; which feed on grass may be put into bo.\"es or pots in which a sod of 

 turf has been planted. 



Larvs which are already full-grown in autumn may be left undisturbed in the breeding-cages, 

 for many of them will spin up in the course of the autumn. 



LarvjE which are still very small, as well as all larvK of Micro-Lepidoptcra, should be kept 

 through the winter in glasses covered with muslin or wire gauze, or in jam-pots, in which earth and 

 sand, as well as moss and a few dead leaves, must be placed. If the larva; have already spun 

 themselves up in autumn for hybernation at the sides of the breeding-cage, or between the leaves 

 of the food-plant, or, like many species of the genus Conchy/is, spun themselves up in the stalks, 

 they must be left there till they come out of their own accord in spring. Many of these larvae will 

 become pupae in such webs. During the winter they must be exposed to the cold in a room without 

 a fire, and must be moderately sprinkled with water from time to time, except during frosty 

 weather. 



Rearing Larva: in the Open Air. — The foregoing instructions chiefly apply to rearing larvre 

 within doors ; but if the collector possesses a garden or greenhouse, he may find it more con- 

 venient and less troublesome to rear the larvje of Maero-Lepidoptera on the growing plant. The 

 food-plant must be transplanted into the garden, if it does not grow there already, and placed in a 

 sheltered situation, not too much exposed to wind and rain. In the case of larv.e which feed on 

 trees or shrubs, a sheltered bough full of leaf should be chosen, to which the larva; must be trans- 

 ferred, and then a large muslin bag must be slipped over the whole, and tied tightly below the 

 larvae. When the leaves within the bag are all devoured, the bag and the larv.ne must either be 

 transferred to another branch, or else the bag must be untied and fresh twigs slipped into it. The 

 latter plan is better when the larv;t are clinging to the branches, as it will disturb them less ; but 

 when they are clinging to the bag, or to stalks of leaves with which they can readily be removed, 

 the former is preferable. The dirt should be carefully shaken out of the bag every time it is 

 untied. In the case of larva; which feed on low plants, the food-plant may be covered with a 

 sieve, which can easily be constructed deep enough for the purpose ; the sieve should be pressed 

 tightly down, and the sides should be heaped up a little with earth to prevent the larvK escaping. 

 When these larvae or those on the trees are nearly ready to change, they should be transferred to an 

 ordinary breeding-cage. This mode of rearing is best adapted for large broods of larvae belonging 

 to large and common species : for even with the precautions we have mentioned, larvae reared in 

 the open air are exposed to various dangers, from which those under our immediate supervision are 

 more exempt ; and rare larva;, or those of which we have only a few specimens, should never be 

 exposed to any unnecessary risk. 



Management of Pupce. — All suspended pupre must be suffered to remain in the same position 

 as that in which they have attached themselves, as they generally produce crippled specimens if 

 their position is altered. Pupae in cocoons may be left as they are, and those among moss or 

 between leaves may be carefully lifted out and cut awa)- from an}' redundant substances 



