26 
APPARATUS. 
coarse gauze, stretched upon wooden or wire 
frames ; each compartment has a separate 
door, and is moreover furnished with a phial in 
the centre for the purpose of containing water, 
in which the food is kept fresh ; and is lialf 
filled with a mixture of fine earth and the dust 
from the inside of rotten trees ; the latter article 
being added for the purpose of rendering the 
former less binding upon the pupcB, as well as 
highly important for the use of such larvcB as 
construct their cocoons of rotten wood. The 
chief advantages of a breeding cage of the 
above construction are, the occupation of less 
room than five separate cages, and a diminution 
of expense ; both important considerations 
when any person is engaged extensively in 
rearing insects. Whatever be the construction 
of the box, it is highly necessary that the larvoB 
be constantly supplied with fresh food, and 
kept very clean, and that the earth at the bot- 
tom should be kept damp. To accomplish the 
latter object, I keep a thick layer of moss upon 
the surface, which I take out occasionally (per- 
haps once a week in hot weather, and once a 
fortnight or three weeks in winter) and saturate 
completely with water, and return it to its 
place : this keeps up a sufficient supply of 
moisture, without allowing the earth to become 
