be of a species which spins on the surface or above ground it is not 

 removed. It is covered with sand, damped if necessary, and greatly 

 assists in keeping the cages in a good sanitary condition. When 

 cleaning them out I proceed as follows : — Place top of cage zinc 

 downward, and in it put the food and larvae, covering them with a 

 spare diaphragm, flange downward, take off perforated zinc frame 

 and brush it well, remove diaphragm and knock off sand and loose 

 leaves into the iron basin, fit parts together, fresh sand and food, 

 and it is done in less time than it takes to tell. With larvae requiring 

 earth, remove diaphragm when they are ready, fill with loam from 

 the bin, and cover with a thin layer of sand. By this means the 

 earth does not become too dry before the larvae use it, no mildewed 

 grass is mixed with the earth, and the weight of the cage is reduced 

 during the time it is most handled. For surface spinning larvae I 

 place a (|-inch) layer of scalded moss on the diaphragm, and cover 

 it with sand. 



When living plants are required the diaphragm and tube may be 

 removed and the plants raised in the seed pans. I have found this 

 a good plan with Satyridae^ having a succession of pans of grass 

 raised from seed by a local nurseryman, as I have no greenhouse. 

 Turfs contain too much vermin for the purpose. 



It is a saving of much time and trouble in the end to go through all 

 the cages every day and fill the wells. This I effect by means of an 

 apparatus my relatives call the " feeding bottle." It consists of a long 

 narrow pickle jar, three quarters of a yard of elastic tubing, and a piece 

 of glass tubing drawn out to a fine point. (N.B. — After drawing the 

 tubing out, hold it point downwards in a clear fire ; the glass will run 

 and make the point as strong as any other part of the tube.) When 

 filled with water this forms a syphon, the flow being regulated by 

 pressing the elastic tube between thumb and bottle. When not in 

 use both ends of the tube are stuck in the bottle, and it is ready for 

 instant service. This apparatus I also use for spraying the surface 

 of the earth or moss in cages when too dry, and for watering the food 

 for larvae that require it. 



With regard to hybernating larvae I can say little. General rules 

 seem to be to feed whenever possible, and take care they do not dry 

 up. Small hairy larvae I have taken through in bottle cages arranged 

 thus : — A glass phial plugged into the neck of the bottle, the bottle 

 filled up to the mouth of the phial with, first, a layer of sand and 

 moss packed tightly round the phial and damped, and second, a 

 layer of loose moss, and the larvae secured with leno and an elastic 

 band. The small quantity of food obtainable during winter is thus 

 made the most of ; it is easily renewed, and the larvre are readily 

 cleansed by renewing the loose moss and putting in a little clean 

 sand. The larger hairy larvae I keep in an ordinary cage, the base 

 filled with sand covered thickly with moss. The notorious B. ruM 

 does well thus, but requires to be put on a sunny window-ledge 

 where the rain can reach them till they spin up. 



