﻿178 



of diarrhoea ; the anal segments were fouled, and in some of 

 them evidently stuck together. I tried an experiment : I 

 took each larva separately in my open hand, held it under a 

 tap of running cold water, and gently brushed it the while by 

 means of a camel hair pencil. They were then placed on 

 clean fresh food, and stood out in the sunshine. As a result, 

 most of them safely pupated, and produced in due course fine 

 moths. With a good species this is worth trying, at any rate. 



In this paper I have not attempted to describe larvae col- 

 lecting, only their treatment. Still, perhaps a few passing 

 hints on how to secure a good series of AcJierontia atropos 

 may be useful. It is well known that the larvas of atropos 

 feed on the leaves of the potato, and that in some seasons the 

 men engaged in digging the tubers find pupae in some numbers ; 

 but they often get more or less injured before they reach our 

 hands, and in consequence die. It is much better to seek the 

 larvae ourselves. At first sight it may appear difficult to find 

 a few larvae in a large field of potatoes, but in fact it is fairly 

 easy to do so. The larvae when nearly full grown are very 

 voracious and quite strip the haulm of the leaves, so that 

 you may walk down between the rows of potatoes and take 

 ten yards on either side of you with ease and certainty of 

 spotting any atropos larvae that may be there, the bared 

 stems showing up a long way ofif. 



You will soon see if the larva is still about by the abun- 

 dance of fresh frass ; if dried up it has probably pupated. 

 In this manner I found thirteen in two mornings' work at Deal, 

 and bred them all by forcing. I much advise forcing for 

 large Sphingidae. Forcing is simple and safe. An ordinary 

 biscuit box, with a partly glass lid, makes a good and simple 

 forcing cage. Lay in two inches of clean sand, and on it place 

 the pupse. Do not bury them in the sand. Cover them over 

 lightly with a layer of damp sphagnum, with a few bushy 

 twigs for the moths to crawl up and expand their wings, and 

 the cage is complete. The cage only requires to be placed 

 in a warm room at from 75° to 80°, and you will then breed 

 your moths in midwinter with better results and with plenty 

 of time to see to them in the dull season. 



In conclusion I would advise every Entomologist to study 

 field botany ; not only will it enhance the pleasure of his 



