inquiries as to breeding Selenia iltustraria. 31 



what lowness of temperature will they bear without 

 injury ? Are the Selenias ever found feeding on flowers, 

 or are they known to feed in confinement ? Are the pupse 

 killed or injured by severe frosts ? — Please address 

 replies to 24, Vernon Terrace, Brighton. 



APPENDIX. 



General Treatment. — For the success of these experiments it 

 seems very important to observe the principle that the insect 

 should, all through its life, be subjected, as far as possible, to the 

 natural conditions in which it exists, while protected from its 

 natural enemies and from casualties. For example, S. illustraria, 

 in a state of nature, lives in a much cooler, moister, and fresher 

 air than it does when bred in-doors ; its food-plant is exposed to 

 similar influences, to a much stronger light, and its leaves are 

 never in a flagging condition. On the other hand, the wild insect 

 is subject to the depredations of birds, mice, earwigs, beetles, ants, 

 ichneumon flies, and other predaceous and parasitic insects ; and 

 is exposed to injury by storms. These considerations point to the 

 following precautions. 



Larvce. — Feed the larvae, when practicable, on growing trees out 

 of doors, confining them by " sleeves " of the material that most 

 readily admits light and air, but is close enough to keep in the 

 larvae and exclude insect enemies ; muslin, leno, and calico have 

 been recommended for the purpose. This mode of out-door feeding 

 saves some trouble, but does not dispense with frequent super- 

 vision, especially in rough weather. The sleeves should be 

 frequently examined ; snails and slugs will sometimes eat holes 

 in them. Shelter may be necessary in stormy weather ; for this 

 reason, dwarf trees and trees in pots are advantageous. In town 

 gardens a fencing of wire-netting is often necessary as a protection 

 against larger animals. The sleeve should be opened frequently to 

 remove the " frass " and shift the larvae to fresh quarters, and 

 folds in which the larvae may get entangled should be avoided. 

 When they are nearly full grown it may be expedient to remove 

 them to a breeding-cage. The larvae of S. illustraria seem to 

 move about in the latter part of the afternoon, but not in general 

 to feed till night. They should not be crowded. 



Until the larvae are so large that they cannot crawl through the 

 interstices of the sleeve they may either be fed on a potted tree 

 in-doors, or, perhaps more safely, in a glass-cylinder, such as is 

 described in books on larva-breeding (Eev. J. Green's ' Insect 

 Hunter's Companion,' Dr. Knaggs' articles in the early volumes of 

 the ' Entomologist's Monthly Magazine,' &c), or in a jar. A simple 



