NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 165 
do not write this with the idea of presenting anything very 
original to the entomological world, but with the hope of helping 
the “younger hands” in this interesting branch of the science. 
My system (if I may call it one) has these advantages :—It is 
inexpensive (a sovereign can purchase sufficient materials to rear 
several hundred larvee at one time, and with care they will last 
for years. The large open mouth of the bell-glass gives fresh air 
perpetually, and keeps the larve healthy and dry. The small 
water-bottles keep the food-plant fresh for days, and saves much 
trouble in changing it. The earth, being dry, receives and 
absorbs the excrement of the larve, thus preventing mould and 
unwholesome dirt accumulating ; it is also then ready for those 
larvee which pupate under ground, when they are full-fed. 
Besides the bell-glasses have this great advantage, they enable 
us to watch the habits of the various larve, and to gain an 
intimate knowledge of their economy. In fact, I have learnt 
more in this way than by reading ever so many of the published 
entomological works. In conclusion I may add that since I 
have reared larve in this way I have been successful beyond 
expectation, losing but a very small percentage while in the 
larva state. I always keep the ditferent species in separate 
glasses, but have had as many as 150 in one large glass feeding 
at the same time, such as Hriogaster lanestris and Melitea 
aurinia.—J. Srtymour St. Joun; Chalfont St. Peter, Slough, 
May 19, 1886. 
[Mr. Seymour St. John makes some excellent suggestions 
in his above remarks. We may, however, add that if he had 
his water bottles standing in tin cylinders into which they 
would loosely drop, he could withdraw the bottles for refilling 
with water and food without disturbing the earth in which his 
pupee are forming. ‘The necks of the bottles should be plugged 
with blotting-paper round the food-plant stalk, otherwise it gives 
the larvee opportunity for committing suicide by drowning, a 
tendency to which is very fully developed in some species. The 
neck of the bottle should be packed round up to the cylinder 
edge, also with paper, so as to allow the larve to easily regain 
the food-plant in case they fall therefrom. One to one and a 
half inches does not appear quite deep enough for the earth, 
but in this we suppose Mr. St. John is guided by circumstances, 
—J. T. C.] 
