216 THE IDYL OF THE SPLIT-BAMBOO 



" mask " attached to the head is not shed with the 

 rest of the skin and must be carefully removed. 

 After the first moult the caterpillar regains its 

 original color. 



At all times be careful to have the receptacles for 

 your worms scrupulously clean; every day remove 

 the wilted leaves and dead caterpillars and thor- 

 oughly clean their quarters with a stiff brush, taking 

 out every particle of dirt. Do not pull the cater- 

 pillars from the old leaf; put the fresh leaves into 

 the cage and the worms will leave the old for the 

 new, and the old ones may then be removed. A few 

 fine drops of water should be sprinkled on the leaves 

 every day, which the caterpillars search out and 

 slowly drink them; but do not put in enough water 

 to saturate the air in the receptacle. As for the 

 receptacles or cages themselves, small tin-boxes will 

 do well enough at first, but glass jars are better as 

 their rounding bottoms are more easily kept clean. 

 Give your specimens plenty of room, putting only 

 a few into one cage unless it is very large. While 

 the caterpillar has no objection to eating in the dark 

 and under any circumstances can " get its hand 

 to its mouth," I prefer a transparent cage, as then 

 I can more readily keep track of the progress of the 

 inmates. These cages may be nearly air-tight as 

 worms respire very little. 



Dry, roomy quarters are essential to prevent the 

 development and spread of certain fungoid diseases. 



