176 [January, 
On several occasions, when a rolled leaf containing several larvae 
was just completed, I have broken it open to see the effect produced on 
the inmates. At first they all appeared in a state of consternation at 
the partial destruction of their abode, but in a short time, some larvae, 
which appeared to be deputed by the others to attend to the external 
repairs, would crawl out from each end, and in a most business-like 
manner, immediately set to work repairing the damage by spinning 
another set of silken ropes, the larvae remaining in the interior ren- 
dering their fellow larvae their hearty assistance towards restoring the 
rolled leaf to its original position. When all was done, the outsiders 
hastened back to the interior, closed up the ends, and resumed their 
meal which had been disturbed by my curiosity. 
After a few days' residence in the rolled leaf, the larva moults for 
the second time, and becomes much stouter ; the colour and marking of 
the two first segments remains as before, but the other segments are 
now of a pale yellowish-green, and the dorsal vessel is pale green. 
In a very short time after this, indeed, sometimes in two days, the 
larva moults again, the dorsal vessel then becomes dark green ; four or 
five days later the larva is quite full fed, and the dark green colouring 
matter subsiding, the larva appears white, with a slight yellow tinge. 
It then quits its domicile, in which it leaves heaps of frass and its 
cast-ofi" skins, and it descends by a thread to the ground, which it either 
enters, or spins up among dead leaves. Sometimes it penetrates below 
the surface of the ground to the depth of more than an inch, and there 
forms its cocoon. Shortly before the time for the exclusion of the 
imago the pupa emerges from its subterranean abode, and works its way 
slowly to the surface of the earth, in order to enable the imago to 
liberate itseK; the pupa skins protruding from the ground give the 
surface of the mould in one's breeding jars a curious appearance, just 
as though so many little posts were sticking out. 
This creature is very hardy, and may be kept indoors with impunity 
throughout the winter, and even if the mould in which the pupae are 
buried becomes quite dry, if the pupae are left undisturbed in their 
cocoons, the perfect insects fail not to make their appearance in the 
month of May. If the pupa, however, be turned out of its cocoon for 
the purpose of observation, the chance of rearing the imago is small.* 
I apprehend that the natural habit of the larvae is to enter the 
ground, but when they are kept in a jar or box unprovided with 
mould, but containing merely some leaves of the food-plant, they bow to 
* The effect of the silken cocoons in excluding extremes of temperature or of moisture or dryness, 
is, no doubt, one of their main uses. — H. T. 8. 
