338 Dr. T. A. Chapman’s notes on Micro-Lepidoptera 
be able to make my observations more full, and even 
perhaps to rear the larvee. 
I accordingly, in June, 1892, secured a good supply of 
moths and placed them in many different jars. In three 
of these I gave them nothing but moss, which I had 
obtained in winter, then cleaned and boiled it, and kept 
it in a dry condition until it was wetted and given to the 
moths. Hgos were freely laid in this sterilised moss as 
in the other jars. I may say that I myself considered this 
precaution to be absolutely unnecessary, as the eggs laid 
agreed precisely in size and form with those dissected 
from the moth—they were seen against the deceased moth 
that had laid them, they were laid in several different 
jars, and finally Dr. Wood had, by repeating my procedure, 
induced moths to lay, and had in fact confirmed all 
my observations. However, the sterilised moss experi- 
ment has been made successfully, and several dozen 
batches of eggs have been laid, so that there is no room 
for the most severe scepticism to suggest a doubt. 
In 1892 I supplied the moths with flowers of Ranun- 
culus repens (common buttercup), and though I believe 
observations have been made on the mouth-structures 
and habits of these moths, in which they are in truth very 
anomalous, as in so many other ways, I may mention 
my own observations. They use their great claw-like 
maxillary palpi with sharp knife points to scrape and 
tear at both the pollen of the stamens and the surface of 
the petals, in the latter case perhaps collecting fallen 
pollen. They certainly do something very like eating as 
regards this pollen, and digest and use it, as would appear 
from two circumstances: firstly, that very slender moths 
get very fat and lay many eggs, and, secondly, their 
dejecta are very abundant. There is obviously room for 
much detailed observation in this matter, which J did 
not make, as I wished all my material to be devoted to 
making sure of eggs, and I had not too much time to 
give to the subject. 
Moths will live in confinement for three weeks if fed 
in this way and kept damp enough. 
They pair readily, and apparently do so more than 
once. When laying, the female moth creeps down 
among the moss to a depth of an inch or more, and 
seems anxious to get to the bottom and lay her eggs on 
the bottom of the jar, sand or earth. If the stratum is 
