1883.) Entomology. 547 
caterpillars are dried before the fire and rolled up in packages of 
h leaves. To a civilized taste they are most disgusting, the 
smell reminding one of that of our cabbage worms. 
In view of this custom it seems to be strange that the Bantas 
refuse to eat snakes and amphibia of all sorts, even frogs and 
lizards not being touched by them in times of starvation. 
NUMBER oF MOLTS AND LENGTH oF LARVAL LIFE AS INFLU- 
ENCED BY Foop.—Those who have had extensive experience in 
rearing insects, come to appreciate the variability inherent in most 
species whether in characters or in habit. Hence they feel as little 
sympathy for those who discuss a question of habit as though this 
last must needs be forever fixed in some one observed direction, as 
for those who indulge in the hair-splitting of species on trivial 
grounds. 
In 1876 we hatched from the egg, larva of both Tenebrio molitor 
and Tenebrio obscurus, with a view of ascertaining the number of 
larval molts. Experience had taught us that they are cannibalistic, 
so that each larva experimented with was isolated. Eggs of moli- 
tor, laid May 29th, hatched a few days afterwards (June 5th). 
One larva molted for the first time June 15th, and by May 3d of 
the following year (1877) had molted eleven times when it died, 
A second larva, hatched on the same day (June 5th), had molted 
twelve times by June roth of the following year (1877), when it 
died. Of obscurus, three larve, which hatched April 30th, 1876, 
Were reared to the imago state. One molted but eleven times by 
August 30th of the same year, became a pupa January 20th, 1877, 
and finally a beetle, February 7th, 1877. The other two both 
molted twelve times and attained the imago state February 18th 
and March oth respectively. All were, as nearly as possible, under 
like conditions of food and surroundings, and in all casesthe molt 
t gave the pupa is not considered among the larval molts. 
Since March 1 3, 1879, we have kept two larva of that common 
Museum pest (Zrogoderma tarsale) in a tight tin box with an old 
orm cocoon. They were half grown when placed in the 
box. On, November 8, 1880, there were in the box twenty-eight 
larva skins, all very much of a size, the larve having apparently 
_ Stown but little. The skins were removed and the box closed 
ĉgain as tightly as possible. Recently, or after a lapse of two 
years, the box was again opened and we found one of the larva 
i dead and shriveled up; but the other was living and apparently 
_ jt changed in appearance. There were fifteen larva skins in the 
< We cannot tell when the one larva died, but it is certain 
_ oat within a little more than three and a-half years two larve 
ie ‘Shed not less than forty-three skins, and that one larva did not, 
. during that time, appreciably increase in size. 
oe We know of no observations which indicate the normal or aver- 
—-88e length of life, or number of molts in either Tenebrio or Tro- 
VOL. XviI.—wno, v. 38 
