3890 Entomological Society. 



" The next point which may be considered worthy of notice, is the mode of search. 

 This, of course, varies according to locality. In digging, it must be borne in mind 

 that all pupae are close to the trunk of the tree, seldom more than 2 inches distant. 

 Frequently the trunk of the tree forms one side of the cocoon, especially the cocoon of 

 such insects as spin. Again, pupae lie close to the surface of the earth, (I have seen 

 those of Smerinthus Populi and S. Tiliae half out of the earth) ; the larva of Calocampa 

 exoleta is the only one T know of that goes to a considerable depth. Insert then the 

 trowel about 3 inches from the trunk, to the depth of 2 inches or so ; then push it to 

 the tree and turn it up. If the soil be dry and friable, without grass, knock it gently 

 with the trowel, which will be sufficient. If, however, there be grass, you must pro- 

 ceed more cautiously : take up the sod in the left hand, knock it very gently with the 

 trowel, and those pupae which merely enter the ground will drop out. To find those 

 which spin, you must carefully examine the sod, tearing the roots of the grass asun- 

 der. These are, of course, much the most difficult to find, the cocoons being gene- 

 rally of the colour of the earth. I may here remark, that it is useless to try sticky or 

 clayey ground, the caterpillars being unable to penetrate it. In searching under moss, 

 the best plan is to loosen the edge, then to tear it gently off, observing whether any 

 pupae fall. Look at the trunk to see if anything adheres to it, and then carefully exa- 

 mine the moss itself. Experience alone will enable you to detect a spun cocoon. 



" Searching under loose bark requires no comment: one observation, however, on 

 the Cerurae. I have heard it mentioned that the pupae of the kittens are to be found 

 near the roots : my experience goes to prove quite the reverse. Every one who has 

 looked for them knows the extreme difficulty of detecting them. I found fifteen last 

 autumn, and they were all, without exception, at least 2 feet from the ground. The 

 puss moth certainly forms its cocoon near the ground generally, but not the kittens, I 

 think. Though not connected with the subject of pupae, I think it may be useful to 

 mention that the larva? of the genus Cerura are always found on the upper side of the 

 leaf, generally about the centre. 



"If I were asked which are the most likely trees, I should say those whose branches 

 spread out towards the ground, since moths seldom fly to the high branches ; those 

 whose roots form an angle filled with loose dry earth, especially when covered with 

 grass ; and lastly, those which have a thick loose moss upon them. Nothing however 

 can be more uncertain than any rules in this matter. You will perhaps see ten elm 

 trees, to your eye exactly alike : at nine you may find nothing ; at the tenth, possibly 

 twenty or thirty pupae. I remember, on one occasion, trying a number of ash trees, 

 without the slightest success, and was about to give up the search as hopeless, when I 

 resolved to try one more. At that one I found forty-six pupa? of Ennomos illunaria, 

 and three of Pcecilocampa Populi ! 



" No pupa-hunter can hope for success, unless he have a good stock of patience 

 and perseverance. He must not mind cold hands, wet feet, or an aching back ; for 

 although these are drawbacks, yet is the pursuit (to me) quite exciting, when success- 

 ful, and it will reward the seeker, not merely of Lepidoptera, but also of all the other 

 orders of insects. 



" The longer I continue to dig for pupae, the more convinced I am that one of the 

 causes of the periodical uncertainty in the appearance of many insects is their inabili- 

 ty, under certain circumstances, to force their way through the earth. As I have re- 

 marked, on a former occasion, severe frost following protracted rain will have this ef- 

 fect, as also will great heat. I once had a singular illustration of this. Digging nt 



