304 



opening them you will often find that they contain pupa. Some 

 will be those of the Geometers ; while others will contain the pupae 

 of one or other of the Cuspidates. The best trees to search are 

 the Sallow, the Birch, and the Oak ; though there is some difficulty 

 in the case of the last-named, on account of its height. Still there 

 will generally be a few small oaks in every locality. After searching 

 the withered leaves referred to, the next thing to do is to carefully 

 examine the branches and the trunk for pupse ensconced in the 

 crevices of the bark. This part of the work requires the greatest 

 care, for the caterpillar, when selecting a site for changing to pupa, 

 seems to exercise great care in the selection, so that the crevice 

 not only holds the pupa exactly, but the nature of the surroundings 

 are usually such as to afford the helpless pupa the fullest possible 

 protection against the attacks of its many enemies. On looking at 

 the surroundings of the pupa of the Puss Moth, for example, one 

 cannot help wondering how the perfect insect can manage to 

 emerge unhurt from so hard and close-fitting a case as that where 

 it is found. Next turn attention to the roots of the trees. Remove 

 all the moss, and carefully examine that first, as many pupae are 

 easily overlooked, as they are more like a fine lock of tangled wool 

 than the cocoon of a caterpillar. In flimsy cocoons of this kind 

 many different species may be found. The loose leaves at the 

 root of a tree are another favourite place for larvse ; these must, 

 therefore, be searched as carefully as the moss just referred to. 

 Then, with a trowel, dig up the earth around the roots. Each 

 trowel-full of earth should be spread out on a piece of paper, and 

 be carefully examined for pupae. Great care is required, as the 

 pupje that form an earthy cocoon are with difficulty distinguished 

 from the earth surrounding them. The other pupse may be found 

 easily enough. It is often stated that the south- or the south-west 

 side of a tree is the best for finding pupae. But, so far as my 

 experience goes, this rule does not invariably hold good. The 

 form of the tree itself, and the locality where it may happen to be 

 growing are often points of much importance to attend to. If it is 

 near water, the side of the tree nearest to that will always yield 

 most pupa;. Again, it the tree is growing near the middle of a 



