334 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



later periorl, injured each other and died, leaving twelve to 

 proceed with. From the time of hatching to spinning up 

 these larvae were never handled : they were fed on young 

 oaks, and, when these were cleared, bushy branches of well- 

 luatiu'ed foliage (not tender, recently-developed leaves) were 

 stuck into saturated sand, in eight or ten-inch pots, which 

 was daily supplied with as much water as it would absorb 

 without standing in pools on the surface : cut food thus 

 treated will remain in good condition two or three days, 

 even in a high temperature. I attribute success mainly to 

 the following precautions : — Non-interference with the larvae ; 

 a good supply of healthy, well-matured food ; allowing them 

 always to remain in the same room, thus avoiding a sudden 

 change of temperature ; and especially freedom from wet 

 foliage, abstinence from water, and the supply and constant 

 circulation of dry air at a suitable temperature ; in short, to 

 be allowed to exist, as nearly as possible, as in the natural 

 state. 



When about to spin the larvae almost invariably selected 

 the terminal leaves of projecting twigs among which to form 

 their cocoons. 1 conclude from this that the pupae woidd 

 naturally be exposed to and require the full rays of the sun. 



I cannot hide from myself that some of Dr. Wallace's 

 remarks are foregone conclusions (I feel sure the Doctor will 

 lake this in the same candid spirit in which it is made). At 

 page 394 of his Essay he says, " Dry hot weather is pre- 

 judicial to the larva? ;" and again, " Moisture is grateful at 

 all times, and is necessary for their existence." In neither of 

 these conclusions can 1 concur : I point to the result of 

 vay own experiment. During the nine or ten weeks which 

 comprised the larval life of my Yama-mai water never ap- 

 proached them, except on two occasions, when a slight 

 sprinkling was given from a fine rose to refresh the food, 

 which could not at the moment be replaced. They were 

 reared in an unheated plant-house, iu a good light with 

 plenty of sun, which did not seem to incommode them. The 

 temperature, as a rule, varied from 65° to 75°, rarely reaching 

 80°. The following are the dates of the several trans- 

 formations : — 



Eggs hatched from A]M-il 25th to May 1st 

 First moult from iMay 7th to May l-2th 



