6 



and the larva cages for such large and restless moths as Catocala, 

 the mosquito net being replaced with linen or old calico, and 

 the cages kept out of the sun. For moths generally I use air- 

 tight white-metal glass-topped boxes (Janneke's patent, two sizes, 

 3 inches by 2 inches and 2'i inches by i^ inches) in preference to the 

 usual chip and card pill box. Cut a spray of the food, which should 

 be dry, and curl it round in one of the boxes so that it cannot shift 

 and injure the insects, place the brood females in it, and you will 

 probably get all the ova they have. I have kept moths as different 

 in size as Virgularia and Porcelliis in these boxes with uniform 

 success ; the latter, indeed, lived for thirteen days, and deposited 

 eighty-two fertile ova. I cannot help contrasting this method 

 to the usual chip-box treatment, with which I have had some un- 

 pleasant experiences. Very few ova are obtained, and these do not 

 always hatch, even when perfectly fertile. For instance, some 

 Acidalia remutaria I collected laid a number of ova in a chip-box 

 on the way home, where the moths were transferred to a G.T.B., 

 and the chip-box containing the ova placed in another. None of 

 the eggs in the chip-box hatched, and every one in the G.T.B, 

 produced a larva. Some moths, such as Halia ivavaria, Me/anihia 

 bicolorata, Cidaria fulvata, etc., which pass the greater part of their 

 existence in the ovum, may, with the aid of these boxes, be reared 

 in large numbers. The leaves become mildewed, and the interior 

 of the box thickly coated with scales, but every fertile egg will hatch. 

 At intervals during the winter I put a drop of water in the box, 

 which gradually evaporates and prevents undue dryness of the con- 

 tents. If ova are deposited in the chip-boxes on the way home from 

 an expedition, place them in a G.T.B. and paint the chip-box 

 with water at intervals till the eggs hatch. Ova taken from the 

 food plant may be placed on a piece of damp rag in these boxes. 

 I well remember my disappointment the first time I took CJuvrocampa 

 porceUiis ova ; they were perfectly fertile, the larvae could be seen 

 moving in them, but nearly all failed to make an exit. Last year I 

 placed the ova on the damp rag, and 98 out of no hatched, and 

 none of the twelve failures contained a larva. 



Butterflies, and moths too, when physically capable of taking any, 

 require food when ovipositing. This may be conveniently managed 

 by taking a lump of sugar, dipping it in water, and shaking it as dry 

 as possible ; take the insect by the wings in the left hand, hold it so 

 that it can grasp the sugar, and stretch out its proboscis with a fine 

 needle. As a rule, as soon as the trunk is extended the insect 

 begins to feed, and may be gently released and left to take its fill. 

 Refractory species can sometimes be induced to feed by placing the 

 sugar close to the insect and gently blowing over the sugar towards it. 

 After feeding once or twice they become used to the treatment, 

 and will extent their trunks as soon as one picks them up or 

 even blows into the cage. A specimen of Miselia oxyacanthie I 

 had alive for some time would run zigzag towards the sugar from 



