72 THREE KINGDOMS. 



C. TRANSFORMATIONS. 1. The egg: description, 

 sketch, duration of this stage; where and how deposited by 

 the female. 2. Larva: number of molts, and changes noticed 

 in these molts; duration of each molt, and entire time consum- 

 ed in this stage; food-plants of the larva; drawings. 3. Chrys- 

 alis: description; methods of protection and fastening; dura- 

 tion of this stage; special observations. 4. Parasites observed 

 during these stages (ichneumons, chalcid?, etc.). 



D. Concluding remarks, with notes drawn from various 

 works on the subject, and a list of such references. 



Having- thus worked up a few species of Lepidoptera, 

 you might, to advantage, take up successively the other 

 orders, Hymenoptem, Coleoptera, Neuroptera, etc., treat- 

 ing them in the same way, and concluding the course by 

 a careful study of insects as a class. Then you can return 

 to your favorite order or family, and carry on your 

 special researches and observations, minutely and intel- 

 ligently. 



We add the following Department directions for 

 sending insects by ma-il: 



All inquiries about insects, injurious or otherwise, should 

 be accompanied by specimens, the more the better. Such 

 specimens, if dead, should be packed in some soft material, as 

 cotton or wool, and inclose'd in some stout tin or wooden box. 

 They will come by mail for one cent per ounce. INSECTS 

 SHOULD NEVER BE INCLOSED LOOSE IN THE LET- 

 TER. Whenever possible, larvae (i. e., grubs, caterpillars, 

 maggots, etc.) should be packed alive in some tight tin box 

 the tighter the better, as air-holes are not needed along 

 with a supply of their appropriate food sufficient to last them 

 on their journey; otherwise, they generally die on the road 

 and shrivel up. Send as full an account as possible of the 

 habits of the insect respecting which you desire information; 

 for example, what plant or plants it infests; whether it de- 

 stroys the leaves, the buds, the twigs, or the stem; how long 

 it has been known to you; what amount of damage it has done, 

 etc. Such particulars are often not only of high scientific in- 

 terest, but of great practical importance. In sending soft 



