PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRD ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 



889 



No time or trouble that can be taken to make these records complete 

 and accurate in all respects can possibly be wasted. 



If drawings of the various stages, and of any details of them, can be 

 made, so much the better ; and all such drawings also should be fully 

 identified with the number of the Cage-slip or entry in the register. 



Preservation of Early Stages. Another important pomt m rearmg 

 is the preservation of material of the early stages. Caterpillars may be 

 blown and most other larvse preserved in spirit. Empty pupa-casesi 

 and cocoons should be preserved pinned with the individual specimens 

 which have emerged from them. Pupae, even of the same species, often 

 vary considerably in thejwo sexes and therefore it is important to see 

 that the pupal shell of each individual imago is correctly paired off 

 with it. How often one sees series of bred specimens in collections and 

 how seldom are they accompanied with even their empty pupa-cases. 

 Yet it is certain that a close study of pupal stracture will often throw 

 very valuable light on the affinities of the insects concerned ; and, to 

 carry out work on these Hnes in India, it is essential to preserve all the 

 material possible in order that it may be available for study. 



Quality and Quantity. One advantage of rearing insects is the ob- 

 taining of perfect specimens of the adults for the collection. Another 

 advantage, which is often lost sight of in India, is the ease with which 

 not only good but long series of an hisect may be obtained. Especially 

 when an unknown insect, found doing damage in its larval stage, is 

 under rearing, endeavour should be made to rear and preserve a long 

 series of adults in order that amply sufficient material may be available 

 for determination of the species concerned. 



Insedaries. The foregoing remarks have been made more especially 

 for the general collector who has no special facilities for rearing other 

 than those afforded by an ordinary room or verandah. 



It may, however, be useful to add here a description of an Insectary, 

 or building specially designed for and devoted to the rearing of insects, 

 such as we have at Pusa. 



The Pusa Insectary (PI. 137, fig. 1) is a masonry building having 

 one large hall 40 feet long, 24 feet broad and 16 feet high. On the 

 south side it has a verandah about 40 feet long and 10 feet wide with 

 a tiled roof. Against the walls on the east and west there are four 

 cages on each side. These side cages measure 6 feet x 5 feet each 

 and have brick walls up to a height of about 5i feet from the 

 bottom. Above the brick walls right up to the roof wire gauze is fitted 

 into wooden frames and encloses the cage completely. The roof 

 slopes from the wall of the main building outwards and is made of 

 glass which is protected from hail by wire-netting over it. Each cage 



