APPENDIX 7. 275 



In rearing from the egg the greatest difficulty is 

 during early life ; young caterpillars must have the 

 freshest and tenderest food and not too much confine- 

 ment. With all precautions many will be lost, for 

 they are so small that it is difficult to keep track of 

 them, and some are very prone to wander when their food 

 does not suit them. Some open vessel with the grow- 

 ing plant is the best receptacle ; in place of this a 

 similar vessel (the larger the better) holding moist sand 

 in which a sprig of the food plant is plunged may be 

 used covered if convenient with gauze to prevent the 

 escape of the caterpillar. The vessel should be placed 

 in the light, but not in the sun, and for many kinds it 

 is well to lay chips or bits of bark upon the ground, be- 

 neath which the caterpillars may hide. At each moult 

 the caterpillar remains motionless, refusing to feed for 

 twenty-four hours or more, and at such times it should 

 not be disturbed. It is best never to touch them, and 

 when necessary to change the food, the old leaf with 

 the caterpillar upon it should be put beside or upon the 

 fresh food, and only removed when deserted by the 

 caterpillar. When older the creature will bear rougher 

 treatment and may often be confined in a nearly tight 

 tin or earthen vessel with freshly plucked leaves ; but 

 all caterpillars will not bear this treatment, and care 

 should always be taken that their quarters do not be- 

 come foul. 



A very convenient form of breeding cage or vivarium 

 is shown in Fig. 193, and is thus described by Mr. 

 Riley : " It comprises three distinct parts : first, the 

 bottom board (a), consisting of a square piece of inch- 

 thick walnut with a rectangular zinc pan (ff) four 

 inches deep fastened to it above, to prevent cracking or 

 warping, facilitate lifting, and allow the air to pass 

 underneath the cage. Second, a box (b), with three 

 glass sides and a glass door in front, to fit over the 

 zinc pan. Third, a cap (c) which fits closely to the 

 box, and has a top of fine wire gauze. To the centre 

 of the zinc pan is soldered a zinc tube (d) just large 



