68 BULLETIN OF THE BROOKLYN ENT. SOC. II. 1879. 



If disease appears, the sick should be destroyed, and buried if 

 not burned ; and the well should be immediately removed to a 

 fresh clean breeding cage at a distance. 



We are given to understand by Mr. Akhurst, who i.s a veteran 

 in this business, that if the air be slightly impregnated with the 

 odor of carbolic acid or creosote, the larvae are less given to 

 diseases, especially those of a fungoid nature. 



Experience and care in rearing, may give us most excellent 

 results in the size and beauty of specimens. Where the larvae 

 will endure close confinement, rearing in a close, though pretty 

 large glass jar, where there is a slight excess of moisture in the 

 air, and with a temperature kept at from 90 to 95 deg. Fahr., will 

 give specimens of surprising size and beauty. 

 W e are not ourselves believers in the " blue glass theory" not long 

 since so widely received ; but we are told on good authority that 

 blue or purple glass excites larvae to greater voracity, and so 

 causes a greater development ; and that green glass has the con- 

 trary effect. 



We did not hear of this till lately, and have not had opportunity 

 to verify or disprove it. 



Of course in the cleaning of the boxes and the removal of litter 

 and wilted food-plant, great care must be taken to see that no 

 larvae are thus inadvertently thrown away. This is especially 

 important when the larvae are very small. 



When glass jars are used, there must not be an excess of 

 moisture in the jar, as the small larvae are very often drowned in 

 the drops which collect on the sides. 



3. It would without doubt be better if the pupae were allowed 

 to remain undisturbed in the places where they have cast off the 

 arval skin, (and especially is this the case with such as go into 

 the ground to pupate), until they emerge after their final trans- 

 formation. But to allow them so to remain, in the most of cases 

 presents difficulties which often result in loss. For with the 

 most of us the number of cages is limited, and it will not do to 

 have a single cage used as the receptacle of very many larvae 

 for pupation. For when some either above or below the ground 

 have just cast off the larval skin, and are exceedingly tender 

 (since as yet the pupal skin has not hardened), others may be 

 roaming about the cage, or burrowing into the earth, and these 



