Life-history of Boreus hyemalis. 315 
four were isolated and fed separately to ascertain the 
nature of their food. The stomach contents of wild larvae 
was wholly moss fragments both green and decayed, 
nevertheless I wished to know whether other food could 
be taken. 
A. was placed in damp sand and supplied from time to 
time with crushed flies, insect larvae, etc. 
B. was placed in fine leaf mould, sifted as far as possible 
free from moss fragments. 
C. was supplied with leaf mould and the decayed lower 
portions of moss plants. 
D. was kept with living moss only. 
C. and D. continued growing quite normally and fed on 
the materials provided. 
B. grew slowly and evidently found some food, as it was 
full fed by the end of April. 
A. lived until the beginning of February (five weeks), 
but evidently could not feed, as the alimentary canal was 
always empty; it did not grow at all and died after the 
above period. I think it is therefore certain that the 
food of the larva is moss, living or decayed. 
The first larvae noticed to be full grown were found on 
the 19th December in the Wake Valley, Epping Forest, 
but those in captivity did not reach that state before the 
end of February or beginning of March. I could not 
observe the number of larval instars, as for some reason or 
other no cast skins could be found even when larvae were 
kept in small tubes (12” x 4”). While not wishing to 
believe that the skins are eaten by the larva after moulting, 
it is nevertheless difficult to imagine that they could have 
been overlooked in so small a space. Judging from the 
growth in size of the head from time to time I should say 
that there were at least four ecdyses. 
Larvae are to be found in moss from December to 
August, usually in the substance of the moss carpet, but 
occasionally just under the same, making short passages 
on the surface of the soil three to four inches long. Brauer 
appears to have found them under liverworts (lebermoose). 
When full fed the larva is about 6 or 7 mm. long, with a 
yellowish-brown chitinous head and a white semi-trans- 
parent body. It rests with the body curved in a semi- 
circle and much resembles a weevil larva of the genus 
