CHAPTER XI 
A FEW PRACTICAL HINTS 
I PROPOSE now to give my young friends a few hints 
which I trust will be useful to them in the practical 
pursuit of Nature-study. 
A great amount of entertainment and instruction 
can be obtained by rearing butterflies and moths 
from eggs or larve. Eggs and caterpillars may be 
found in the course of your rambles ; they should be 
secured, taken home, and placed in a “ Larvarium,”’ 
or Breeding-cage, the larve to be provided therein 
with proper food. The eggs will hatch in due course, 
and the young larve will begin to feed straight away. 
They must, if possible, be fed on the leaves of the 
species of plants on which the eggs were found, and 
the collector must always take particular note of the 
food-stuff with which the eggs are associated. Ifitis 
not possible to obtain the exact species of food-plant 
that the larve are accustomed to eat they may be 
induced to take an allied substitute. Books dealing 
with the practical side of Entomology usually give 
lists of substitutes. If you intend to take up the 
study of practical Entomology seriously, I can 
recommend no more practical guide than Dr. Knagg’s 
‘* Lepidopterists’ Guide.”’ It can be purchased for 
235 
