imilar one behind pointing backwards, something like a tail. It eats
almost anything, and is easily reared.

When full fed it spins a web, in which it changes to a chrysalis; and,
in time, from some of the cocoons thus formed, spider-like creatures
will emerge and attach themselves to the outer part of the web. These
should at once be removed (web and all), and placed securely in the
cage already mentioned, when, if there be any males about, I will
warrant it will not be long before the proprietor has a very tolerable
idea of what is meant by attracting by the bred female."

COLLECTING AND REARING LARVAE.--Very many insects are more easily
collected in the larval or caterpillar stage than in the perfect one.
Every tree, bush, or plant, the grass, and even the lichens growing on
trees or walls, produce some larvae feeding on it. It would, I feel,
be a work of supererogation to attempt to give detailed descriptions
of food-plants and the insects feeding on them, when we have a book so
good and cheap to fall back on as "Merrin's Lepidopterist's Calendar,"
which gives the times of appearance of butterflies and moths in all
their stages, with localities and the food-plants of the larvae, and
this for every month of the year.

For bringing caterpillars home, a larvae box is necessary; this
should, if possible, be made of a cylinder of wire gauze or perforated
zinc (see Fig. 56), capped top and bottom with zinc, the bottom a
fixture, the top to lift off, dished inward towards an orifice with a
tube soldered in it, which is kept corked until it is wanted to drop
larvae down it. The tube coming well through into the cylinder, and
narrowing inside to half its diameter at the top, prevents anything
escaping, even if the cork should be left out, and also prevents the
swarming out of the enclosed larvae, which would take place if the top
were lifted off bodily.

Wooden canisters, such as tobacco is often stored in, make very good
substitutes if small holes are bored in the side. Tin canisters, or,
indeed, anything made entirely of metal, unless plenty of ventilation
is afforded, as in Fig. 56, have a tendency to cause the enclosed
larvae to sweat.

Some few hints as to collecting larvae may not be unacceptable. In the
spring, just as the buds of various low plants and bushes break forth,
they should be searched by night, by the aid of a lantern, for the
larvae of various noctuae and geometrae then feeding. The best plants
to s