DREPANA SICTJLA. 67 



From one of the eggs on the paper the first larva 

 appeared at 11 p.m. June 28th, and a second from 

 one of the loose eggs during the night of June 30th, 

 another of the eggs on the paper never changed colour, 

 and the third, together with the second loose egg 9 

 after going through the changes of colour, dried up. 

 Thus I was not very fortunate with the eggs, but 

 most unhappily the young larvae, after inspiring me 

 with a grand hope, caused me a worse disappointment. 



The first that had appeared was supplied within 

 twenty minutes of its emergence with a tender leaflet 

 and a mature leaf of the common lime {Tilia europcea) ; 

 but when I looked at it again, that is, on the following 

 morning, it was dead. 



Thinking that perhaps I had failed with the first 

 from not giving it time to eat its egg-shell, when the 

 second larva was hatched I took care to let the empty 

 shell remain with it, and supplied it also with some 

 birch as well as lime leaves ; the next day, however, it 

 was looking very miserable, unable to stand, and 

 rolling about helplessly, and so lingered till its death 

 on the third morning, having, as far as I could see, 

 eaten nothing whatever since its hatching. 



Why I failed so totally I cannot explain [the expla- 

 nation appeared three years later, see p. 72, H. T. S.], 

 and can only hope that further experiments with the 

 egg may prove more successful. 



Fortunately, however, Mr. Thomas, on September 

 10th, 1875, had found a nearly full-grown larva on 

 lime, and lent it to me on condition of my sending 

 back the imagos if reared, and this I am happy to say 

 I was able to do. I received the larva September 13th, 

 it became full-fed by the 21st, next day began to spin, 

 and the day after was covered in so as to be hidden, 

 and the moth, a male, and quite perfect, appeared 

 during the evening of the 12th of June, 1876, the first 

 British specimen reared in captivity. 



The egg in shape is roundish -oval, the surface very 

 finely pitted ; its colour when first laid is pale straw- 



