844 CHARLES PauL ALEXANDER - 
tened over the ends of the vials by means of rubber bands, sufficient water 
being added every day or two to restore the balance lost by evaporation. 
If the specimens are fully grown or nearly so, they soon pupate and 
finally emerge. 
Species that live in extremely rapid waters (as the tipuline larva 
described on page 839) are almost impossible to rear. The best results 
have been obtained by placing the fully grown larvae in the folds of 
a saturated piece of cheesecloth in a jar, the jar being corked to prevent 
any evaporation — which is here, as elsewhere, the most frequent source 
of danger and death to the larvae. Several specimens of crane-fly larvae 
may be placed in a single vial except in the case of the carnivorous forms 
(Hexatomini, Pediciini), in which case care should be taken to isolate 
single specimens lest they kill one another and the decaying of their 
bodies destroy the remaining life in the vials. 
Mud-inhabiting forms 
The majority of crane-fly larvae are mud-inhabiting forms. Most 
of these belong to the small and inconspicuous Limnobiinae, and are 
rarely seen by the collector. To procure them it is necessary to sift 
the mud of their haunts and examine the contents of the sieve with great 
care. A small-mesh wire sieve is about the most satisfactory form to 
use, and the mud can be washed in small quantities and the remaining 
contents. of the sieve easily scrutinized. As they are found, the larvae 
can be placed in water in small watch crystals and finally removed to 
individual breeding jars. The methods of breeding described above are 
applicable to these, and if the larvae are large and nearly grown it is 
not difficult to rear them. 
Fungus-inhabiting forms 
The forms inhabiting fungi (species of Limnobia and Ula, and some 
others) are easily reared by placing the whole fungus in a large pint or 
quart jar about one-fourth filled with pure sand. This sand takes up the 
juices as the fungus decays, and at the same time furnishes a good place 
for pupation of the species. The jars should be kept air-tight to retain 
a balance in moisture conditions. 
